[Rob Hood]

Just an update in case you haven't seen....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,132056,00.html

[DryStout]

I studied this for hours about 2 years ago. From a technical standpoint of GM saying 'we want to build better cars, and do so more cheaply' is reasonable goal. It costs lots of dollars to crash vehicles. The loss of a sale, the time for a team to examine the wreckage adds up.

One of their means to do is with the Diagnostic and Energy Reserve Module (DERM). The argument is they could collect crash data and use that information to improve automotive safety on current models or future ones.

I really think that is a fine intention. I however do not want to give that data away for free. GM wants to cut costs crashing their own vehicle, then the data from my crash is has a monetary value.

The real rub is the misuse of that information. It should be 100% my choice as to where, how and if that data is collected. At this time I do not feel I have choices that I find acceptable.

I know where the module is. I have disconnected it and noted the service light come on as a result of the disconnection. I did not try to drive the car with it disconnnected.

NataSS, this is DERM stuff is not new news as you probably have realized. I am at least as unhappy about it as you are.


Below is one of many write ups on the system.

http://www.ntsb.gov/events/symp_rec/procee...s/chidester.htm

If any of you clever folks out there are aware of a how-to to disable the abilty the DERM module it to record and not cause it to stop deploying the airbags, then please share. There has to be an easy hack. This is from the article above“The near-deployment record is cleared after 250 ignition cycles.”