WOT: GM states we don't buy cars, just have a license to use them, Autoblog: Can the upcoming copyright hearing stop others from working on cars? Options

[bandjoey]

Very Interesting. Seems this is pointed towards the technology in cars, but could one day effect us all. Independent mechanics in jeopardy?

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/19/gearhea...odify-hearings/

INtersting read.

[stugray]

This has bee discussed a lot on the FT86 forums.
We tune those cars by reverse engineering the ROM in the ECU, modifying and rewriting them.

Everyone knows that you void the warranty when you do this, but some still blow their engine, then write the original ROM back and take the car to the dealer for warranty work.
That is clearly fraud and the main reason that the dealers want to stop you from doing it.

OTOH there is a liability issue when you do this. What is to stop someone from modifying the Chassis ECU which controls the traction control & vehicle stability systems?
Then if you have an accident, who is responsible?

The simplest solution for the auto companies would be to encrypt the ROM in the ECU.
That way anyone reverse engineering it would be in violation of the DMCA (digital millennium copyright act) which states it is illegal to reverse engineer encryption schemes.

The car manufacturers will never be able to tell us that we cannot work on our own cars or who we choose to do maintenance or we will just refuse to buy them.