> The EU has already mandated this.

Are you thinking about eCall? That is only supposed to be activated during an emergency.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/security-and-em...

If communication module is mandatory even only for emergency, it makes easier entire car to be connected.

The EU requires the module to be powered off except in an emergency. So it's not in contact with cell towers all the time, except when it needs to make an emergency call. It's easy enough to detect the transmissions with simple hardware.

Taxes sound like a lame excuse to have mandatory tracking. From odometer readings at inspection to registration charges it is neither the only nor the most efficient way to charge for road usage. Especially since it would in practice regress to a 'max theoretical charge' as an opt out for taxation purposes - even if bounded changing for some absolutely ridiculous assumptions like your car spends all year going in a free loop at the maximium safe speed 24-7 while loaded to maximium capacity.

I am _so_ happy the newest vehicle I own is a 2004 model, and only 1 of my 4 vehicles is "modern" enough to have fuel injection - on all the others the most sophisticated electronics are the spark/ignition timing black boxes (for which there are aftermarket and even open source alternatives...)

I'm not sure I'll make the rest of my time out without buying something newer and "digital", but I fully intend to keep my stone age motorcycles for at least as long at I can legally ride them...

Great, the EU has picked up its surveillance effort of citizens again.

Long time ago. Ford and Toyota already stream real-time telemetry in the EU.

I think the GDPR would make an opt-out requirement mandatory. Still you can always physically disconnect the module and likely there will be an aftermarket solution to disable whatever warning lights come on.