Posted on 04/28/2015 9:10:18 AM PDT by John Semmens
Contending that modern automobiles contain computer programs that entail trade secrets and are too complex to be touched by do-it-yourself car buffs, the General Motors Corporation is urging the government to make unauthorized auto repair illegal. It wont take an Act of Congress to accomplish this objective. A mere reinterpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) would do the trick.
GM spokesman Lee Hunsacker asserted that letting just anyone look under the hood is archaic in our day and age. What if they mess something up? The victims of any subsequent crashes will sue us. We are the deep-pocket manufacturers of these vehicles. We ought to have the right to protect ourselves by vetting who works on our cars.
Not wanting to be left out, the John Deere Corporation demanded that the ban on unauthorized service and repair also be extended to farm tractors. If we dont clamp down on who is allowed to work on our vehicles people might tamper with the computer system and use it to pirate music without paying royalties, claimed Henry Morgan, VP for customer relations.
Newly named Attorney General Loretta Lynch is reportedly drafting an executive action memo that would apply the DMCA to motor vehicles for President Obama to sign. This would empower manufacturers to issue cease-and-desist orders to anyone suspected of attempting to repair one of their vehicles without the express permission of the manufacturer.
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news/semi-satire posts you can find them at...
http://theconservativecitizen.com/2015/04/26/semi-newssemi-satire-12/
There is an article in latest Popular Science magazine about this and it is NOT satire. It says they believe none approved mechanics can render the cars unsafe because of the computer issues. They also say that non-dealer mechanics are having to spend in the thousands for the tech manuals and equipment for what used to be hundreds.
Semi-News Satire?Its. Almost getting to the point with these GM vehicles that your better off discarding them than repairing them.I’m sure that would make GM happy.That is until they find out they can’t find enough suckers to buy their lemons.
You might want to watch what every auto-parts chain store, and independent owner will be doing about this.
Since the day the car companies starting making different headed, i.e. other than flat or philips, fasteners to attach, fasten, retain and connect all the little parts that become a finished car, there has been nothing but ‘bless-um u’ mentioned by a great many mechanics.
oh, it’s satire. you tricked me again, John Semmens ;)
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