Quote:
Originally Posted by CamaroRSOnt
I found the answer on the question I had posed the other day, why if my Onstar fuse is pulled is the car still seeing Wifi signals.
Turns out they are two different systems. The Wifi signal is controlled by the radio/entertainment system and not the onboard OnStar module. They do interact through the primary data channel in the car when both are operating normally, that allows GM to flow data thru your Wifi access, say when your parked in your garage and you had provided the password to your home Wifi. The car then has a alternative path back to the GM SmartDriver server and will use it if you let it.
The OnStar module has the capability to work with AT&T cell networks, it also receives (only) data from satellites for GPS etc.. If you have a OnStar subscription or have not subscribed the car will still transfer your driving data to GM via the AT&T cell network. On a regular basis if OnStar is on and working when the car gets close to a cell site, Onstar grabs the signal and transfers the data to GM without your knowledge. If you opt out of SmartDriver or not GM has that data. Removing that fuse for OnStar stops that process.
The Wifi signal could also be used to transfer the data if the OnStar module was working (fuse in), so if you pull the fuse it isn't, it's dead in the water, not able to talk to the Wifi system as well as the cell sites.
Those that leave the fuse in but but pull the radio module physically off the OnStar chip board need to avoid allowing their Wifi to connect or that data could also be transferred via Wifi. So long as Wifi cannot connect (don't give it a password that works and tell it to connect ) then they should also be fine. No data will get to GM.
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Thanks for this info. When I pull my car out of storage next month I plan to immediately remove the Onstar fuse. At some point I may remove the board completely. I've never even activated Onstar nor ever installed the app, but I don't trust GM one bit. Never connected through WiFi either, so hopefully I'm good. I bought my car to drive, not so I could be connected to social media so I don't care about losing any of that nonsense.