Dealing with Outdated Automotive Software?

Jan Hendrik Montag asks: "My car mechanics had problems to fix a problem in electronic motor management with my 14 yr old Audi. That was not too surprising. But as my mechanic consulted a Volkswagen/Audi-company, they received the answer, that my car is too old and they don't have the appropriate devices and software to read my cars' mind. I just wonder, what will happen in 20 or 30 years to then-vintage-cars from today? Shouldn't there be a necessity to declare old car-software and diagnostic devices open-source just to make sure a collector then can repair his/her car just as it is possible to repair an old car from the 60's? Or will those cars be doomed in case of failure? What would be a solution?"

Comments

Re:Grammar do be interestin'!

[larry bagina]

Once upon a time, editors, for lack of a better word, edited.

There is a Frank Zappa quote that almost fits slashdot to a T...

• Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read. -- Frank Zappa, quoted in Linda Botts, "Loose Talk" (1980)