PSA: Drive Pulse, You May Want to OPT-OUT. (2 Viewers)

[Oakleyguy]

PSA for the 250 series community. By default some dealers enable "Drive Pulse" which may allow the vehicle to transmit your driving data to third parties such as insurance carriers. If anything your driving data is still being transmitted to Toyota.

You can OPT-OUT of this through the Toyota or Lexus app by clicking on your Account and going into the privacy settings.


What data is collected? Example:
5) What is a bad driving behavior?
A trip that includes any of the following driving events may be considered “bad driving behavior”:
• Rapid/sudden acceleration
• Harsh braking
• Harsh left/right turns

Source: https://support.toyota.com/s/article/What-is-Driver-Score-10536?language=en_US
Source: https://www.lexus.com/privacyvts/images/doc/Lexus Privacy Notice.Connected Services.pdf

 

[tacoshawn]

Thank you. I changed my privacy setting just now to decline Drive Pulse.

 

[Cablebandit]

So what happens with these stupid systems when the car is sold 5 years down the road? Does the next driver's "bad driving behavior" get reported to your vehicle and medical insurance company? Has anyone looked into removing the "connectivity" of these new cars? Of course the genie is out of the bottle now, but there must be someone working on a true privacy solution that won't brick the vehicle. I don't trust clicking a box saying I opt out. I guess I have trust issues.

 

[Pauly]

You are right to not trust the car companies. Texas just sued GM. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/13/business/texas-sues-general-motors-driver-data/index.html and lots of other reports of this data being collected without people really understanding. Check out Mozilla's excellent site Privacy Not Included on data collection if you want a real downer. https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/categories/cars/ They cover lots of other things beyond cars too.

I also heard reports of Toyota dealers getting spiffed for getting new car buyers to set up all the connected services. Sorry, don't have a source for that, but I know my dealer pushed pretty hard to make sure I went through all that. I told them I would review it at home. They followed up multiple times to make sure I didn't need help. I like my dealer, but I wish they were that attentive on the things that matter to me.

 

[1NTRANSIT]

PSA for the 250 series community. By default some dealers enable "Drive Pulse" which may allow the vehicle to transmit your driving data to third parties such as insurance carriers. If anything your driving data is still being transmitted to Toyota.

You can OPT-OUT of this through the Toyota or Lexus app by clicking on your Account and going into the privacy settings.


What data is collected? Example:
5) What is a bad driving behavior?
A trip that includes any of the following driving events may be considered “bad driving behavior”:
• Rapid/sudden acceleration
• Harsh braking
• Harsh left/right turns

Source: https://support.toyota.com/s/article/What-is-Driver-Score-10536?language=en_US
Source: https://www.lexus.com/privacyvts/images/doc/Lexus Privacy Notice.Connected Services.pdf

Mine was on. Great tip, thanks!

 

[baltistyle]

Thank you for the informative post. I see this across a couple different car forums and I’m amazed at some of the ignorance that is out there from people willing to let the government or private companies make their decisions for them while they still do have a legal choice.

My background is in the cannabis industry and what I learned about the government a long time ago is that they are like Dracula, they need an open window. Don’t open your window.. stay compliant but don’t report what isnt legally required because who knows when that will be used against you, or by whom.

I blew up at my insurance company this year when receiving an absurd quote on a used car and basically said if they try to use any of that bs third party info I’m gone. After a week, and some digging the quote was inline. I could not see how a 15k twenty year old car would be more to insure than a 50k 10 year old rocket ship Amg. They couldn’t explain and that’s when I alleged they were using some bogus reporting, after having been with them since basically the nineties.

Probably best not to have this option installed at all if that’s possible. As we know “off” is not always off.

Thanks again op

 

[mhead]

I have been following this thread and it struck me that none of this would be happening if we did not have the AP...regardless of the car company, it is the AP that's causing this mess.

I have been driving cars, trucks and SUVs for 60 plus years and have never needed an AP to help me...The new Land Cruiser is great, I have the 1958 version, as I wanted a throw back to the days where I put the key in the ignition, turned it and off I went. I couldn't get out of the dealership without them having me download the AP and get this crap on my phone. I find it annoying...telling me every now and again it's effen unlocked or the windows are open...

I have an inkling the AP is worth more to someone I don't know than it is to me...Perhaps it's time to delete it.

 

[Jeremy556]

I have been following this thread and it struck me that none of this would be happening if we did not have the AP...regardless of the car company, it is the AP that's causing this mess.

I have been driving cars, trucks and SUVs for 60 plus years and have never needed an AP to help me...The new Land Cruiser is great, I have the 1958 version, as I wanted a throw back to the days where I put the key in the ignition, turned it and off I went. I couldn't get out of the dealership without them having me download the AP and get this crap on my phone. I find it annoying...telling me every now and again it's effen unlocked or the windows are open...

I have an inkling the AP is worth more to someone I don't know than it is to me...Perhaps it's time to delete it.

You mean the app on your phone? It's well past that. There is an LTE modem built into most (all?) new vehicles and it will communicate over the cellular network with the manufacturer, regardless of any apps you install or connect to the vehicle on your own devices.

 

[04UZJ100]

You mean the app on your phone? It's well past that. There is an LTE modem built into most (all?) new vehicles and it will communicate over the cellular network with the manufacturer, regardless of any apps you install or connect to the vehicle on your own devices.

Unplug the power source.

 

[NY2LA]

stupid systems when the car is sold 5 years down the road? Does the next driver's "bad driving behavior" get reported to your vehicle and medical insurance company? Has anyone looked into removing the "connectivity" of these new cars? Of course the genie is out of the bottle now, but there must be someone working on a true privacy solution that won't brick the vehicle. I don

Mine was on. Great tip, thanks!

In my "Drive Pulse Consent" screen on the Lexus version of the app, I read, "Drive Pulse score, driving behavior, and trip information are for your information only and is not shared with any third party... without your express consent." So that's a lot less concerning to me. But I suppose it's still possible to trick me into giving my consent in some small print somewhere else, so I will be declining as well.

 

[jay3253]

So, when they wanted me to sign up for the app I told them no I didn't want any part of that. Does it mean I'm still connected to this?

 

[Cablebandit]

And related to that, when you tell them you want no parts of the app, what doesn't work on the vehicle?

 

[carboncycles]

In addition to Drive Pulse, you will want to go into the app to inform corporate to both delete your data and not share it (from the corporate level).

Click on Account -> Security Settings -> Manage Your Data (under Your Personal Information)

That should take you to the web portal where you can fill out your information for both deletion and selling/sharing your data.

 

[baltistyle]

Not sure if anyone has seen the videos of people removing tracking devices from their Toyotas but THIS is worth looking into. And no, it does not matter if you buy outright. Some are coming strait from the manufacturer for “inventory tracking”.



What a twisted society that executes these types of slimy practices for “protection” or “savings” or “convenience”.

 

[TXSunDevil]

If that data is being recorded it can be accessed via a subpoena. I wonder if you can completely opt out so the data is not recorded.

 

[04UZJ100]

If that data is being recorded it can be accessed via a subpoena. I wonder if you can completely opt out so the data is not recorded.

Pull the Data Communication Fuse from the fuse block. I just did on my 200s.

 

[baltistyle]

If that data is being recorded it can be accessed via a subpoena. I wonder if you can completely opt out so the data is not recorded.

The device I’ve shown in this video is a piggyback and third party vs an “option” for the car. So you may turn off or opt out of what they let you, but this is not part of that system. Check to see if you have a tracker installed and if you were not alerted this would be done, sue sue sue and start a class action.

 

[TXSunDevil]

I am still driving my 100 and haven't bought a new one yet, good to know this info.

 

[gasman4u]

Pull the Data Communication Fuse from the fuse block. I just did on my 200s.

Which fuse is this? TIA

 

[04UZJ100]

Which fuse is this? TIA

On 200 it’s a “DCM” fuse. Look at fuse diagram for the block inside the cab on the 250.