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Privacy Policy

Effective: 2026-09-06 (supersedes the 2026-04-29 version; material additions: the click-to-call feature, AxleOS account sign-in, and local call-history storage)

AxleOS is a browser extension (Chrome and Edge) and a set of backend services operated by BlackEdge Ventures ("we", "us"). The extension adds two features inside a shop's Tekmetric workspace: AI diagnostic suggestions on repair orders (CoreDiag) and click-to-call for phoning customers. This policy explains what data those features handle, how we use it, and the choices you have.

Who this policy is for

  • Shop technicians and service advisors who use the AxleOS extension inside Tekmetric.
  • Shops whose Tekmetric account is connected to AxleOS.

What we collect

From the extension itself

  • Usage activity. When the extension loads on a Tekmetric page or a feature is used, we record a small event with: the shop's Tekmetric ID, a timestamp, the type of action (heartbeat, diagnose, write-to-Tekmetric), the extension version, and the user-agent string. These telemetry events do not include the technician's name or login.
  • Authenticated actions. Placing a call requires being signed in to your shop's AxleOS account. The extension reads your existing AxleOS session (a first-party session cookie on axleos.ai — our own application) to authenticate you; it never reads cookies from any other site. Calls you place are attributed to your account, so your shop's call records show who placed each call.
  • Extension settings and local state. Your settings (backend environment, diagnosis mode) are stored in your browser via chrome.storage.sync. Stored only on your device via chrome.storage.local: the button's on-screen position, the shop desk phone you last dialed from, and a redial list of the last five customer names and numbers you called. The redial list never leaves your device and is cleared by uninstalling the extension. On shop-managed machines, the shop's IT department supplies an API key via enterprise policy (chrome.storage.managed).

From Tekmetric, when you use a feature

For an AI diagnosis, the extension sends the open repair order's context to our backend for processing: the customer's stated concern; the vehicle's year, make, model, VIN, and mileage; recent service history for that vehicle; and the technician's notes on the current job, if any.

For a call, our backend looks up the customer's name and phone number from the shop's own Tekmetric records — either the customer on the open repair order, or a customer you search for by name or number (your search text is sent to our backend to run that lookup). If you highlight a phone number on the page and choose "Call with AxleOS," the selected text is checked on your device; only a recognized phone number is transmitted, and only when you proceed with the call.

We do not read or transmit customer payment information, social security numbers, or any data beyond what the shop already entered into Tekmetric.

When you place a call

Calls are connected through your shop's AxleOS phone service: it rings the shop phone you chose, then dials the customer, presenting the shop's own number as caller ID. Where the shop has enabled call recording and transcription (part of the shop's ServeCoach configuration), calls placed this way are recorded and transcribed for the shop's coaching and quality purposes, with notice played per the shop's configuration. Call records — numbers, timestamps, the account that placed the call, and any recording or transcript — belong to the shop and are governed by the shop's own policies in addition to this one.

From the AI provider

AxleOS uses Anthropic's Claude models to generate diagnostic suggestions and call coaching. The data described above is sent to Anthropic to produce a response, then returned to AxleOS. Anthropic does not retain the data for model training.

How we use it

  • To provide the features you invoke — the diagnostic suggestion shown in the extension (and optionally written back to the Tekmetric repair order), and the phone calls you place.
  • To attribute calls correctly within the shop's own records, so coaching and performance views reflect who handled each call.
  • To measure adoption and reliability so we can tell which shops use AxleOS and where errors occur. This is internal product data.
  • To improve AxleOS through aggregate usage analysis. We do not sell, rent, or share usage data with third parties, and we do not use any of this data for advertising.

Where data is stored

  • AxleOS's databases are hosted on Microsoft Azure (US region) under BlackEdge Ventures' control.
  • Telemetry events and session records are retained for the life of the product, in aggregate form.
  • Call recordings and transcripts are retained per the shop's configured retention period.
  • AI requests are processed by Anthropic and not retained beyond the request lifecycle.
  • We do not transfer user data outside the United States.

Sharing

We do not sell user data. We do not transfer user data to third parties for purposes unrelated to the operation of AxleOS.

We share data only with infrastructure providers strictly necessary for the service:

  • Microsoft Azure for application hosting, telephony infrastructure, and database storage
  • Anthropic for AI inference (per request only, not retained)

Your choices

  • Stop using AxleOS. Uninstalling the extension stops new data collection from your browser and removes the locally stored settings and redial list.
  • Request data deletion. Contact us (below) and we will remove records associated with your shop from our database, except where retention is required for billing or legal purposes.

Children

AxleOS is a tool for licensed automotive repair professionals. It is not directed at children under 16 and we do not knowingly collect data from children.

Changes

If this policy materially changes, we will update the effective date above and notify shop owners via the email address on file.

Contact

Questions or data requests:

  • Email: it@blackedgev.com
  • Address: BlackEdge Ventures, Twin Falls, ID