What is this wireless dongle?

Looks like a car tracker - either the dealer or the previous owner - I'd ask the dealer, they might want it back!!

 

It’s a wireless hot spot. The previous owner just forgot about it.

 

Interesting - I thought that would have to be plugged into the entertainment unit somehow - but can it be plugged into the ebd2 port?

 

That's a tracking device. It collects GPS and accelerometer data and probably sends it to the previous owner's insurance company. See Progressive's Snapshot below in the link. The previous owner probably was willing to give this data to their insurance company in hopes that it would lower their rates. It could potentially show speed limit violations, emergency braking, how hard you accelerate, if you drive at night, etc.

What is Snapshot and How You Can Save | Progressive

 

A Google for Novatel wireless seems to indicate a tracker as mentioned above.

 

Should the OP be concerned that this device is consuming power all the time? Isn't the OBDII Port always powered?

 

If it's a tracker - I'd hope it's always powered. But, no I don't know.

 

Yes. and yes.
But if it is a good design, it won't draw much when "idle".

 

I don't know of any OBDII port devices that are essential to the vehicle's operation, so I'd preemptively pull it out, then deal with identifying it.

Once out, looking at the plug-socket shape will definitively answer whether or not it was on the OBDII port.

 

I would remove it. When you bought the car, you didn't expect that device to be part of the deal. But don't get rid of it, somebody might want it back...

 

Any constant weight on the OBD port can be detrimental too. I would remove it right away, figure out later what to do with it. FWIW, the 12 volt pin on the OBD port always has 12 volts.

 

If it is an insurance company tracking device, drive like a maniac for a couple of days, then remove it.

DISCLAIMER - Do this only if you feel mischievous. Otherwise, just remove it.

 

Your PRIUS probably recorded it anyway. They aren't specific about how much information is on the EVENT DATA RECORDER, or the Vehicle Data Recorder. All TOYOTA says is "such as":

 

But there is no standard reporting path from the Prius internals to anybody. Absent police or a post-crash mechanic grabbing it, whatever 'compromising,' embarrassing, or even ordinary profiling info might be in there, should stay just there.

 

Not sure - there have been quite a few articles where the DATA has been subpoenaed by the court, or Police prosecution. Try GOOGLING something like "manslaughter conviction based on car data recorder".

This was the first article it brought up:

Your Vehicle Black Box: A 'Witness' Against You In Court.

But there's also warranty as well as insurance.

 

Those actions take court orders, only after a major event.

Absent such a serious event, the date remains sequestered. An insurance company, at least in the U.S., isn't proactively obtaining average consumers' info without their consent and using it to set their insurance rates or otherwise profile them. These insurance company dongles are installed only with consumer permission. And currently, they are offering all carrot, no stick.

 

Here, if a vehicle is involved in a FATAL, the vehicle is impounded immediately by POLICE.

 

LOL

 

And don't forget, anything that is bluetooth, wireless or GPS and permanently plugged into the OBD port can be hacked to gain access to the vehicle systems whenever the vehicle is turned on. I would remove it ASAP.