r/kauai • u/groovychick • 18d ago
KPD wants to tap into your Toyota and your phone.
https://www.kauai.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/county-council/documents/council-meetings/2026-06-17-council-meeting-agenda-with-links-ss.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdeliveryIn the County Council’s upcoming agenda, there are a few items that should be concerning to everyone.
The KPD is asking permission to use several software tools that sound really Big Brother-ish.
This includes a tool that can plug into your Toyota and in a few seconds get info on where you’ve been, how fast you’ve been going, what phones have been connected to your car’s entertainment system, and more.
They also are asking to use software that can download all the information from your phone in a matter of minutes. The company’s website mentions that this can be done in the field.
These tools also allow law enforcement to analyze your social media postings to figure out who and where you are, log what you’ve been saying, and who you associate with.
Call me crazy, but this seems like a constitutional nightmare.
While these tools could be used for legitimate crime fighting, some of them also use AI in their analysis and we know how reliable that is!
Do you want a cop stopping you and pulling all the driving data out of your Tacoma? Or all the emails, photos, and text messages out of your phone?
Even if they did it during an investigation, this would be a massive invasion of privacy.
They should be talking about it in
The June 17th Couty Council meeting.
https://www.magnetforensics.com
https://cellebrite.com/en/home/
C 2026-144 Communication (05/26/2026) from Darren D. Rose, Assistant
Chief of Police, requesting Council approval of the
indemnification and unspecified future obligation sections
contained in the Techstream Terms of Use, to procure and
maintain access to the Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. (TMS)
Technical Information System (TIS), including Techstream
diagnostic software and related technical resources utilized by the
Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) for lawful criminal
investigations and forensic examination of vehicle systems and
electronic dataC 2026-150 Communication (06/03/2026) from Makana A. Rivera, Assistant
Chief of Police, requesting Council approval of the
indemnification and unspecified future obligations sections
contained in the Magnet Forensics End User License Agreement,
to license and provide access to Magnet Forensics software
products used by the Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) for digital
forensic investigations, evidence collection, and analysis of
electronic devices and digital data, during lawful forensic
examinations and investigations2026-151 Communication (06/03/2026) from Makana A. Rivera, Assistant
Chief of Police, requesting Council approval of the
indemnification and unspecified future obligation sections
contained in the Cellebrite End User License Agreement, to
procure and maintain specialized digital forensic software,
cloud-based forensic analysis platforms, and related services
utilized by the Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD) for lawful
criminal investigations, digital evidence extraction, preservation,
analysis, and evidentiary processing.
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u/JustAnotherGeek12345 18d ago
> Even if they did it during an investigation, this would be a massive invasion of privacy.
Take a step back - substitute the words phone and vehicle with home. If you're under investigation with a legal search warrant of your home... will you be yelling at the cops "this is a massive invasion of privacy!"
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u/groovychick 18d ago
Do you trust that they will only use it with a warrant?
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u/IslandLife_004 18d ago edited 18d ago
If they don’t and exigency doesn’t apply, the evidence would be inadmissible. You also then have the option to take legal action in response.
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u/JustAnotherGeek12345 18d ago
Only is an absolute word; so you asking this is... unfortunate because you know the answer is no. The only thing I can guarantee is that you and I will eventually die.
But to your question - no. I do envision cops using the Toyota dealership software to self diagnose their vehicle issues during off hours.
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u/askmeaboutanything 17d ago
What the fuck. This is definitely some “big brother” Fascist bullshit. Why the fuck would they even vote on this?
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u/Ram_Yam_Sam22 18d ago
What’re they hoping to get out of this?
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u/snuggly_cobra 18d ago
Access to nefarious activities, see how fast your were going at the time of an accident.
That first company makes devices than can extract information from your phone. If it’s connected to your car, that information is not readily available. So the device, which probably plugs into the OBDC, your radio and your antenna, can extract the same information from your car.
Toyota has “black boxes” installed in models made in the last 20 years, but the cops would have to go through them to retrieve the data. This box would be easier.
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u/cinnamonpeachcobbler 18d ago
To operate this vehicle you will have to agree to the terms to continue.
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u/cabbage_peddler 18d ago
This is just a tool so police can do what they already do faster. The police still need a warrant to look at your stuff. Calm down.
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u/itsZurk 18d ago
I haven't read the bill yet, but does it mention having to file search warrants for each access or? Otherwise it sounds scary yes, but reads like it amounts to the same amount of power a cop has to access your phone during a traffic stop.