Posted on 04/20/2015 8:34:32 PM PDT by Rusty0604
Automakers are supporting provisions in copyright law that could prohibit home mechanics and car enthusiasts from repairing and modifying their own vehicles.
Allowing them to continue to fix their cars has become "legally problematic," according to a written statement from the Auto Alliance, the main lobbying arm of automakers.
The dispute arises from a section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that no one thought could apply to vehicles when it was signed into law in 1998. But now, in an era where cars are rolling computing platforms, the U.S. Copyright Office is examining whether provisions of the law that protect intellectual property should prohibit people from modifying and tuning their cars.
Aftermarket suppliers and home enthusiasts have been modifying ECUs for years without dire consequences. By tweaking the ECU codes, ...they've boosted horsepower, improved fuel efficiency, established performance limits for teen drivers and enhanced countless other features. These innovations have contributed to a "decades-old tradition of mechanical curiosity and self-reliance," according to the EFF.
Those innovations could be curbed precisely at a time that automakers believe personalization of vehicles is emerging as a significant trend. Software is allowing for all sorts of technology, such as 4G LTE wireless connections, and motorists can use this software to choose from an increasing array of infotainment options. But the car companies, paradoxically, want to be the ones doing the personalizing.
The EFF thinks the industry's desire to block exemptions has more to do with profits than safety. As software becomes easier to update, automakers could sell these performance upgrades on an a la carte basis. Because a favorable ruling would strengthen their control of the software, the car companies could potentially force consumers to only have their vehicles fixed at their dealerships or preferred repair shops.
(Excerpt) Read more at autoblog.com ...
HELLO OPEN SOURCE!!!
I buy it, I do as I damned well please with it.
WTF? What will they want us to do next? Drop trou, bend over, then pay for the Vaseline?
Guess we’ll keep our 2000 Silverado running ‘til it has 400000 miles on it.
Idiots. Just when auto industry starts to make a comeback...
Translation : Stealerships demand your money.
The American public should hold off on buying new cars for 2 or 3 years and see how soon they change their tune..
Actually, this would be fairly easy for the car manufactures to do. Add a 3G / 4G connection to the computer in the car, put in a upgrade process similar to the PS3 or other console.
If the upgrade software does not pass the security check, it is not implemented.
When car repairs are outlawed.......only outlaw gearheads will have repaired cars
My BIL got a notice from VW to bring his jetta diesel in for some kind of pollution control addition. Car runs fine. Says it is to meet some Fed regulation.
It is his car now. I told him to forget about it.
It is past time for civil disobedience.
Hope he doesn’t get SWATted.
I guess they want to lose customers.
I just got my new(to me anyway)1969 428 Cobra jet Cyclone that had been sitting in a poll barn since 1980.Still has the original engine and we managed to get it to start and run.Purred like a kitten.Got to rebuild the carb though.I wont ever drive anything newer than 1969.
You need to see the light and get a Ford.
Saturn is a very dirty word.
I have a 2004 Saturn VUE, when the CVT transmission failed, I was not covered in the class action settlement, because it had 2,500 miles on it when I bought it from the dealership (it was not purchased new). It is totally unrepairable. No new transmission available, 3rd party only repair, guaranteed for 5,000 miles. Last price I got was $4,500 for the rebuilt transmission installed.
It has been setting idle in my driveway at the farm for 7 years.
I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM ANY REMAINING PART OF GOVERNMENT MOTORS.
Get this: about 2 months ago I got a notice from GM about a faulty ignition switch that must be replaced. So I called them and told them mine would not run. They had to talk to their legal department about how to handle mine. Eventually they simply gave up, did nothing. Talk about stupid people.
End of rant.
Why does this sound like a memo from the Risk Management Attorneys, that made it on to some sales VP’s desk?
F’n control freaks. I hate where this country is going. Just hate it. I learned so much about cars when my guy friends were fixing my ‘72 Charger. Those were good times. Everything has to be ruled and reg’d and controlled and locked down and forbidden and I’m so sick of this crap!! God forbid anyone, anywhere should be having unregulated or unsupervised fun. The Bloomberg clones will be all over your butt. What a bunch of pansies.
You mean Orange Mocha Frappuchinos.
A software only update to the ECU in a new 4-banger VW GTI will give you 316HP. Add a downpipe and a little more hardware and I bet you'll see 11s at the track.
Tinkering with automobiles has always been a part of the American experience! I’ll admit that I kind of miss setting the air/fuel mixture by changing the jets out and pulling spark plugs to check the mixture after installing headers, and setting the timing and dwell om my firebird formula 400 with a simple timing light and meter.
Granted, changing out the rear plugs on that car required going through the wheel wells.
Mark
Car company is selling me a hardware platform, with software preinstalled. Are they claiming i cant install new software? That is BS.
On the other hand, if they are saying that aftermarket companies are reselling their code with tweaks injected — i get that.
If they are injecting data into the flash memory for data driven algorithms, i cant see it being a violation either.
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