Stemming from posts that were inadvertantly started on another thread, what do you guys think the factories are doing with the info recorded on your EFI equipt quads? I hate to throw Big Brother out here, but.....Just looking for thoughts.

 

Here are my thoughts 4xZuk.
One of the first stops is going to be marketing and advertizing.
They will pull the info on lets say 1000 quads. The shops are mandated to send the info to the factory. This info is put into a number crunching program and is charted and graphed.
Now they will send the graphs down to the advertizing department to discuss. If the TPS graph shows that most 800 quads are driven WOT lets say 50% or more of the time you can be sure that Bomb won't show these quads on a hilly trail going 5MPH. They will show these things going ***** out on some fire trail or out in the desert going flat out. Why? Because that what the TPS shows that people do with these things.
It can also go the other way if that's what the graphs show.
This is VERY powerful stuff.

 

OK Doc-I agree: This is very powerful stuff. Like we were talking about, when I saw what came up on the screen while having the Bomb serviced, my mind started churning. If this info is used for R&D (ok advertising too) I'm coo' w/ that. When it starts getting used (not saying that it will) against the consumer-I have a problem. If this data is going to be used to consider warranty work, it HAS to be made clear to the buyer that "hey, your quad is equipt w/ a computer that is recording every move you make (not good marketing; I realize this) and your data history ~can and will be used against you in the Warrant Court~. I'm not trying to stir sh-t, just provoke thought. IMHO, EFI is great for ATV's. The data recorded, if used for diagnostic purposes only, is too. What comes to mind is ins. co.'s offering discounts if they can monitor your driving habits. Rental companies are doing this also. Like I stated in the other thread, I'm going to do some more investigating-i.e. get more than one factory's input on this subject and do what needs to be done. Thanks for your interest. Let's keep tihs rolling....

 

EFI has been used for sleds for years and years. I do not know anybody that has gone to the "warranty court" because of what is recorded on thier ECU. Further, I dont think the ECU can record "Everything you do" mearly show engine performance parameters and throttle demands.

In my opinion, relax, enjoy your EFI. The government doesnt want your ECU info, just the builder.

 

the terrain you ride on makes a difference in the validity of the data for purposes of monitoring riding habits. if you ride strictly sand or mud on one machine, and hardpack on another, when considering wheel spin and the like, wide open on one machine yields a completely different speed than wide open on the other. for this reason it would be awefully hard to use this data as Big Brother IMO, you can be wide open in the swamp spinning tires and moving 5mph, then wide open in the desert hauling 80mph *****.

not to mention I think some ammendment rights would be getting screwed with if it went down the path of being a Big Brother. if a machine can do something, then it was made to do it. if they want to govern what you do with a machine, then they need to do it at the factory level, and only produce a machine capable of staying within the boundaries. like my Chevy shutting down ignition at 100mph.

but I don't think we have to worry about it, I do believe it is simply r&d to lead to better mapping of the efi, as well as marketing info just like all the supermarket cards the cashier scans every time you get groceries these days.

 

Watch out. I think the "black"helicopters are flying over us when we're riding. Be careful and don't do anything to get in trouble....be carefull!!!!!!!

 

Well, we know that car black box data as been used by both law enforcement and insurance companies. We also know that the data had been used in court. We know that this was first introduced as a "purely diagnostic tool that or only used to gather performance data to improve the product". We know it didn't stay that way for long. The government used it. The insurance companies used it. Most of the time the folks with the snitch box weren't even aware it was there.

If companies insist on using these things they should do the following:

Inform the consumer that there is a device in their vehicle that gathers this information.

Any information gathered by the company for R&D or anything other than diagnostic purposes MUST be paid for by the company. If they want the data they must pay for it.

There must be a switch that enables consumers to purge and erase any information that is being gathered or a setting to opt out of the information gathering all together with no detriment to the performance of the product.

They should be given whatever codes and or keys to unlock and monitor this data themselves. It is their vehicle. It is their property. It is their data. They should be able to do whatever they wish with it. That includes selling it to the highest bidder if they so choose.

The information should not be seized without a warrant.

The information should not be used as evidence in a court of law or against a person in regards to insurance or warranty matters.

These quasi secret information gathering units are a very dangerous development in society which at least in the US poses a grave danger to the protections of the Constitution, the 4th and 5th amendments specifically.