SFD 2 - The end of retrofits and coding?

[seanaodh]

I've been doing a lot of reading since ordering my MK8.5. One thing I started to look up was how OBDeleven works with the latest Golfs having found it very useful with the MK7.

It looks like the days of coding in fun things into your car is over with SFD 2. It looks like in the name of making it impossible to code out safety features and to protect from hacking, the entire car is locked down and you need VW approval to code pretty much anything.

https://solwit.com/en/blog/r155-r156-a-quick-guide-to-the-updated-cybersecurity-regulations-for-automotive/

SFD 2 in the MK8.5 is more locked down than SFD that was present in the MK8. OBDeleven and others managed to find a way around SFD, but haven't found a way to get around SFD 2 completely yet. Some stuff seems to be available, but most stuff is impossible from the looks of things.

https://forum.obdeleven.com/thread/20229/sfd-2-unlocked-2024-models

This is really disappointing and seems to fly in the face of 'Right to Repair' which the EU is quite strong on. It also sounds like non VW shops trying to do retrofits can't do them on the latest models. Heaven forbid something breaks and you'd like to install a replacement yourself.

Does anyone on the forum have experience with SFD 2 on the MK8.5? Is the OBDeleven useless on the newer cars?

I've seen a bunch of reviewers complain about some of the safety features and how they can't be permanently disabled, and it sounds like coding won't be able to do that either in the foreseeable future.

[joe6]

Independent body repair shops will need access to comply with EU regs but presumably under some form of agreement/licence with access to vw database. So access to sfd2 could be possible for adding accessories but not diy at present and at a cost! Wonder how closely vw will monitor this?

[Carlosfandango]

OBDeleven have made some progress with SFD2 protection unlock on some Audi models i believe.

[seanaodh]

The latest on right to repair rules in the EU are here.

It unfortunately seems to leave large loopholes that VW can hide in.

https://repair.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Current-State-of-EU-Fight-to-Repair_FINAL_UBA.pdf

As Member States implement the Right to Repair
Directive, anti-repair practices such as part-pairing
and software blocks will be banned for products
covered by ecodesign requirements…


But such practices are still allowed if “justified by
legitimate and objective factors”.
This leaves a significant loophole open for
manufacturers to prevent repair by third parties.

[fredgroves]

SFD/SFD2 have nothing to do with retro-fitting in most cases.

Adding something you didn't purchase with the car need a SWAP code. Nobody can generate those, only VW - who charge people for them. You cannot hack a SWAP code.

SFD2 unlock is as you say not possible yet and I don't even know how OBD11 did the older SFD either - because its a one time code generated by a VW system. They must somewhere have a server submitting those on your behalf but surprised VW haven't blocked that... they will definitely know.

SWAP is to prevent people getting things without paying VW.

SFD is about protection of the vehicle from malicious tampering/hacking and its an EU requirement IIRC... and SFD is VW's implementation of this mandate.

Some things you can change without SFD.... but nothing that impairs the safety of the vehicle.

The things you need SFD for are not generally "repair items" - I wait for someone to show me where I am wrong...

I've only ever used SFD access for one thing - permanently turning off lane assist... which technically makes my car not compliant with construction and use...

[seanaodh]

To be honest most of the reason I'm interested is to control some of those features.

I'm going from a MK7 without any driving aids bar ACC so I'm not sure how I'll find them (especially auto speed limit detection) and was hoping to be able to disable the ones that I don't like. We'll see how it goes I suppose. It feels wrong not to be able to do these things on a car you own.

[Carlosfandango]

To be honest most of the reason I'm interested is to control some of those features.

I'm going from a MK7 without any driving aids bar ACC so I'm not sure how I'll find them (especially auto speed limit detection) and was hoping to be able to disable the ones that I don't like. We'll see how it goes I suppose. It feels wrong not to be able to do these things on a car you own.

You can turn off the auto speed limit thingy, and it stays that way too! , and even then it only works while using travel assist, it doesn’t function otherwise, the only thing that interferes in my 8.5 is lane keep assist and stop start, both of which I turn off each trip using the permanent icons at the top of the screen (very simple). The only other thing is the speed limit warning if you exceed it by the amount you personally set in the menu, it bings quietly twice if you go over it, this can be turned off too each trip, but honestly it’s so unobtrusive I don’t mind it, and when it does function, which for me is generally just as I leave a speed limit, I don't really even notice it any more tbh!

[fredgroves]

It feels wrong not to be able to do these things on a car you own.

Well of course we can't have nice things because of idiots smearing themselves all over the road...

It's not that hard to turn it off by hand... You get used to doing it at startup...