TPMS privacy issues.

[teilo]

Interesting (ab)use of TPMS systems...

http://www.hexview.com/sdp/node/44/

[Duncan]

....and what date was that posted on? Today perhaps?

[teilo]

Maybe If I've been got I hang my head in shame
- but the tire sensors have to be wireless right?
and it knows which is which wheel?

The strech is it has to be able to distinguish between multiple cars as I don't want to know you have a flat tyre if you pull along side me - I think this is plausible.

So it depends on the range - but its already been shown that passports can be read over a meter away and they where supposed to be resticted to a few cm. so intended range != possible range

I say plausable...

[teilo]

I say plausable...

Ok I may have been got you could just use Number plates

[Duncan]

lol, I think you've been got.

Whilst it 'may' be possible that every wheel transmitter has a unique code (I'm not 100% sure how they work - although I'm inclined to think that there are only so many frequencies/codes in the systems to drastically minimise the chances of two transmitters with the same codes coming into close proximity), I doubt if the codes of these transmitters are logged and registered somewhere for every vehicle - so how do you track a vehicle if you don't know what codes it's emitting?

Also, the power of them is very low - so whilst a high-gain directional antenna 'may' be able pick up a transmitter, it would have to have the antenna specifically focused on a wheel of that car - not something you could really do in a general environment. If somebody was that close to a vehicle to be able to pick up the signal, then they're already tracking it with the Mark I eyeball.

D

[Ste]

I'm not being very up on this subject, BUT if they do indeed transmit unique, identifiable codes, then it could be very easy to be able to track cars for some purposes. Wires in the road would easily be in range of the tyres, and could be placed at intervals to tracks flows and SPEEDS.

Does make you wonder.. . . ...... .

[Duncan]

But are the unique codes of each transmitter (if they are unique) going to be logged and stored in a database for every car? I doubt it. As long as each transmitter is programmed into the receiving module in the car at the factory, why would the car manufacturer then log the code for every transmitter that was in a car. Also, cars leave the factory unregistered - i.e. no registration plate, so how do those codes (even if they were recorded for every car) then get matched up to a subsequent registration plate? Are they really going to, at the factory, record the VIN number of the car and log all the transmitter codes for that vehicle, then pass that info onto the licensing people to then match the VIN to the vehicle when it gets its registration plate? I somehow doubt it.

Then it's all dependent on all the TPMS systems being standardised in terms of how they transmit etc. They may have unique codes, but they may be proprietary systems. Then all it takes is the TPMS manufacturer to put some sort of scrambling/encryption system in place, which they could easily do to avoid interference with other vehicles. Quite feasible given that from late 2007 every new vehicle in the US supposedly had to have the system fitted - so many more systems on the road, much more chance of interference etc.

Too many ifs, buts, maybes and supposition of the car manufacturers logging all the 'unique' codes and passing them onto the licensing agency.

My money's still on an April Fool's.

[john_k_sri]

The wheels do not uniquely identify the car nor the driver. Without camera backup it is unworkable, but as Duncan says it's an April Fool.

[carlton]

A lot of the TPMS are controlled by the electronic suspension, ie if the tyre is low the suspension compensates and sends a message......doubt all of them are "wireless".... 2/4/2008....

[Johnsdutton]

There are 2 explanations for this:
1 April fool
2 Typical Yankee Paranoia
I think the latter