[SGVLUG] LPRs increase usage of, including non-government

[Jeremy Leader]

On 08/22/2012 10:54 PM, Steve M Bibayoff wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 22, 2012 at 10:23 PM, Sean O'Donnell <sean at seanodonnell.com> wrote:
>> Most modern vehicles have RFID chips embedded in Tire Pressure or
>> Temperature Sensors, which can relay VIN# data.
>
> Are you sure about the VIN data? AFAIK, the TPMS is a one way
> communication (tire -> car), and there is no way the tire would know
> the VIN of the vehicle it's on.

My impression from reading the consumer-oriented info (signs and brochures) last 
time I got new tires at Costco was that when a new TPMS sensor is installed in a 
wheel, the car's receiver needs to be told to recognize the new sensor, but it 
didn't sound like anything needed to be done to the sensor (such as programming 
the VIN# into it). I wouldn't be surprised if *each* TPMS sensor has its own 
unique ID, so anyone who collects VIN#s could also collect the corresponding 
TPMS IDs, and map them to the corresponding VIN#, but the TPMS IDs crossing a 
border won't by themselves tell you anything about the vehicle or its owner 
(other than uniquely identifying that vehicle).

Swapping TPMS sensors is somewhat harder than swapping license plates, but it's 
not *that* hard, and it's not as obvious as swapping plates (any police officer 
can run a check on a plate and find out if it's on the wrong make/model/color of 
vehicle), and the supply of plates is more restricted than TPMS sensors. For 
that matter, I think you could just replace the TPMS sensors with non-smart tire 
valves, if you're concerned about being tracked.

-- 
Jeremy Leader
jleader at alumni.caltech.edu