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Privacy Policy — OBDVitals

Effective date: 2026-05-08
App name: OBDVitals
Developer: OBDVitals Team

1. Overview

OBDVitals is a vehicle diagnostics app that connects to OBD-II adapters via Bluetooth to read live data and diagnostic trouble codes from your vehicle. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding it.

We are committed to collecting as little data as possible. Vehicle diagnostic data is processed locally on your device. Some technical metadata (such as crash reports and optional usage analytics) may be sent to Google Firebase as described below.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Bluetooth Data

OBDVitals uses Bluetooth (BLE and/or Classic Bluetooth) to communicate with OBD-II adapters. During a session:

• We scan for and connect to nearby Bluetooth devices.
• We read raw OBD-II and UDS diagnostic frames from the adapter.
• Bluetooth device identifiers (such as a device name or address) may be stored locally on your device to support reconnection and adapter recognition features.
• We do not store pairing credentials beyond what the operating system manages.
• Bluetooth communication happens exclusively between your phone and the OBD adapter — no data is forwarded to external servers.

2.2 Vehicle Diagnostic Data

• Live sensor readings (RPM, speed, temperature, etc.) are displayed in real time and are not persisted beyond your session unless you explicitly use a logging feature.
• Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) retrieved from your vehicle are processed in memory and discarded when you close the session.
• OBDVitals does not store vehicle VIN, make, model, or owner information without your explicit action.

2.3 App Preferences (Local Storage)

We store the following data locally on your device using SharedPreferences:

• Selected OBD protocol preference (e.g., Auto / ATSP6 / ATSP7).
• Preferred measurement unit system (Metric / Imperial).
• Feature flag states (Advanced tools on/off, etc.).
• Onboarding completion status.

This data never leaves your device and is deleted when you uninstall the app.

Local processing vs. external services

• Processed locally on-device: vehicle live data, DTC reads, and read-only UDS diagnostics are processed on your phone and are not sent to our servers.
• Stored locally on your device: app preferences (and any optional reconnection/adapter recognition identifiers) are stored locally.
• Sent to external services (if enabled): crash and non-fatal error reports may be sent to Firebase Crashlytics; optional pseudonymous usage events may be sent to Firebase Analytics.

2.4 Crash Reports (Firebase Crashlytics)

OBDVitals uses Firebase Crashlytics to help us understand and fix crashes and stability issues. Crashlytics may collect technical diagnostic information such as:

• App version and build number
• Device model
• Operating system version
• Language/locale
• Stack traces from crashes and non-fatal errors
• Crash timestamps
• Non-fatal error events
• App state (for example, the screen or feature area where the error occurred)
• Safe diagnostic context (for example, connection stage, selected transport type, selected OBD protocol, or feature area)

Non-fatal errors (stability diagnostics)

Some Bluetooth and OBD connection issues may be reported as non-fatal errors to help improve reliability, for example:

• Bluetooth scan failure
• Permission failure
• Adapter connection failure
• ELM initialization failure
• OBD polling error
• UDS mode transition error
• Command timeout

What Crashlytics should NOT collect

Crashlytics logs must not include:

• VIN
• License plate
• Owner name
• Personal contact information
• Precise GPS location
• Raw OBD/UDS request or response payloads
• Full diagnostic trouble code (DTC) lists
• Vehicle ownership information

Crash data is processed by Google Firebase and is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy.

2.5 Analytics (Firebase Analytics, if enabled)

If analytics is enabled, OBDVitals may collect usage events such as:

• Screens viewed.
• Connection flow started.
• Scan initiated.
• Features used.
• Session duration.

Analytics data is pseudonymous and does not directly identify you personally. It contains no vehicle data and no diagnostic readings. It is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy.

3. Data We Do NOT Collect

• Personal identifiers (name, email, phone number, address).
• Vehicle identification numbers (VIN) sent to external servers.
• OBDVitals does not access or store precise GPS location data. Bluetooth permissions may be required by Android to discover nearby devices.
• Photos, contacts, or files.
• Any ECU write operations or calibration data — OBDVitals is read-only.

4. Compatibility

Vehicle compatibility may vary depending on:

• vehicle manufacturer
• model year
• ECU implementation
• OBD adapter quality/firmware

Some diagnostics and live data features may not be available on all vehicles or with all adapters.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information. Data is shared only in these limited cases:

No vehicle data or diagnostic readings are shared with any third party.

6. Data Retention

7. Children’s Privacy

OBDVitals is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the data we hold about you.
• Request deletion of your data.
• Request information about crash reporting and analytics used by the app.

To exercise these rights or for any privacy questions, contact us at the address below.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as the app evolves. We will update the effective date above and, for material changes, notify you within the app. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

10. Contact

For privacy questions or data requests:
Email: privacy@obdvitals.com
App: OBDVitals

This policy applies to the OBDVitals mobile application on Android and iOS.