U.S. Automakers and the NSA – Peas in a Pod

Townhall.com ^ | January 16, 2014 | Bob Barr

[Nowhere Man]

I think I’ll keep my 2004 Hyundai Sonata.

[Charles Martel]

I suspect there are Mustang enthusiasts that have managed to jailbreak the computer to accommodate all the lack of peripheral sensors a '65 would have. Same access could turn off GPS and WiFi, plus allow the system to work with the GPS chip removed.

The factory Ford engine control for the 5.0 pushrod V8 is the EEC-IV system, which is pre-"on-board-diagnostics". Very minimal data logging, with trouble codes communicated via flashes of the "Check Engine" light. No GPS circuitry at all, as far as I can tell. Definitely pre-WiFi.

There are aftermarket ECUs out there which plug right in to the manufacturer's wiring harness (all for pre-OBD cars or for off-road-only newer vehicles).

[Navy Patriot]

I suspect you are right, I haven't kept up on the transition from the pushrod EFI to the current systems or how integrated they are because I haven't had to.