The suggestion we’re replying to was to burn the fuse, not just pull it. How is that not maliciously damaging property?

Automotive fuses are specifically manufactured to be the first thing to fail. That’s the entire reason fuses exist. Going from that to “maliciously damaging property” is an unreasonable leap.

If you’re that opposed to it, put your money where your mouth is and don’t take the free loaner. She would have seen it the moment she stepped into it, there’s nothing stopping her from returning the car.

Have you watched the video?

Objecting to surveillance in public is one thing, objecting to surveillance of private property that’s on loan to you and that you can return at any time is just self entitlement.

She is clearly not a car person. You would be absolutely shocked at how many people do not know the difference between an Audi Q7 (the loaner vehicle in question) and, say, a Toyota Highlander. Based on that, it’s reasonable to assume that there is a spectrum of car knowledge, and she was clearly excited to drive “a brand new Q7” (again, straight from the video), which can very easily distract one from noticing such things.

Many manufacturers place all sorts of bulky equipment such as sensors, cameras (Subaru’s “Eyesight” system), and other such things up at the top of the windshield, so at a glance to a non-car person who isn’t already familiar with how the vehicle should look, it could have looked just like something integrated into the car straight from the factory. But again, we don’t have that info. All she said was she didn’t notice it for a few days.