Hack Your Car

gurps_npc writes "The New York Times has this story about hacking your car's chip. You can get significant horse power and torque boosts (+18 horsepower and +70 foot pounds of torque in the given example), as well as improve (or decrease) fuel efficency. The car companies do not like (surprise surprise) people personalizing their vehicle's programming and warn of burning out your engine with bad code, and voiding your warranty."

Comments

chips and cars

[maxbang]

My car would run better if it had a fucking dorito installed in it. Stupid mitsubishi.

My Car Chip

[nic barajas]

I don't know what he's talking about. My '86 Toyota Camry doesn't have a chip, except where that modded '04 sports coupe flew by me.

Life without Tivo? ARRRGH!

[DrInequality]

I cant die if I screw up my Tivo.

I'd die pretty quickly without my Tivo!

let's see them sup up...

[Valar]

... my 1990 volvo 240.

On second thought, I'd like to see them burn it out :)

I would never

[djroute66]

I would never drive or be a passenger of a car that is running my own firmware.

Never.

Tivo hacking safety!

[Elwood P Dowd]

Tivos are probably the most dangerous of consumer appliances to service. Very high voltages (up to 5000 V) at potentially very high currents (AMPs) are present when operating - deadly combination. These dangers do not go away even when unplugged as there is an energy storage device - a high voltage capacitor - that can retain a dangerous charge for a long time. If you have the slightest doubts about your knowledge and abilities to deal with these hazards, replace the Tivo or have it professionally repaired.

Careless troubleshooting of a Tivo can not only can fry you from high voltages at relatively high currents but can irradiate you as well. When you remove the metal cover of the Tivo oven you expose yourself to dangerous - potentially lethal - electrical connections. You may also be exposed to potentially harmful levels of television emissions if you run the Tivo with the cover off and there is damage or misalignment to the waveguide to the Tivo chamber.

Just kidding. I got that text from a warning in a guide to microwave repair.

hard drive

[DerProfi]

Great googly moogly! My new Toyota has a hard drive in it?? Who woulda thunk it?!

Partly to combat hackers, many carmakers are using encrypted chips in new models or, like Toyota, have done away with removable memory chips altogether. That has the e-mechanics shifting strategies, either by downloading new software directly into the computer's hard drive or attaching separate electronic devices that piggyback on the factory-installed control module and override it. Some of these devices alter the "rev limiter" that prevents engine speed from zooming beyond the red line or remove the speed governor that limits top-end performance.

Re:This is no new thing

[Anonymous Coward]

But if you think you're going to get another 70ft/lbs of torque in a Honda Civic by just doing that, think again.

Everyone knows that the only way to get 70 ft-lbs more torque from a civic is to cover it in Type-R stickers and put a big wing on the back.

For a good laugh at the riceboy industry, surf on over to www.ricecop.com.

I call bullshit!

[foxtrot]

Computer chips don't improve vehicle performance. Stickers, spoilers, and exhaust tips improve performance.

I mean, duh...

Get one

[fm6]

I'd die pretty quickly without my Tivo!

Not logical. In order to die, you have to have a life!

Re:Magnusson Moss Warranty Act

[tarquin_fim_bim]

What possible use could you have for a 340-350hp car? Apart from:

1. Annoying other law abiding moorists
2. Breaking the law
3. Killing pedestrians
4. Impressing young boys

Have I missed something?

Re:Running windows code

[modder]

Watch out for the Broken windSheild Of Death.

Re:This is no new thing

[dbIII]

if you think you're going to get another 70ft/lbs of torque

Just think how many more furlongs per fortnight you can get in speed with those extra 70 foot pound force in torque. You'd have to use more than a dram of extra fuel - bushels more I expect, but it's this sort of confusion you get with good old US measures like the BRITISH thermal unit, instead of bringing measurement screaming into the eighteenth century.

Enough silliness, back to the scheduled program.

Re:Magnusson Moss Warranty Act

[Alan Partridge]

Hang on - Americans don't drive cars, they drive agricultural machinery with leather seats, aircon and cupholders. One of the principal features of this type of vehicle is enormous mass of between 2 and 3 thousand kilos, thus it's perfectly understandable that one of these things should require over 300 hp so it might keep a reasonable pace with delivery vans, passenger cars and pizza mopeds.

Normal passenger vehicles in the rest of the world are plenty fast if their engines produce 200hp. Sadly, Americans don't know about the rest of the world and think motorsport equals monster trucks, drag racing and something called an 'oval'.

Re:Magnusson Moss Warranty Act

[SiliconJesus101]

It's kinda' like packing a 10 inch cock. You may not really use it any more than the average guy does...but damn..it sure does feel good to know it's right there under the hood.

DISCLAIMER!!! The above statement is unfortunately not based on the posters personal experience.

'Performance Ride'

[MarcQuadra]

I just feed speed to the nearest underage goth girl. the insurance is cheaper.

Two tanks ?

[Molina the Bofh]

Does it mean that, in order to reach the maximal level of geekness, I will have to get an extra tank, full of liquid nitrogen for my overclocked car ?

Cool. So my next car will have these 2 tanks, be overclocked, play mp3's / have a GPS system, and look cool. Now all I need is a Mr. Fusion unit. But it's still 2004 and I hadn't invented it yet.

KIT

[FrostedWheat]

Oh oh I seen this episode ... this is where they made Kit evil by putting an Atari 2600 cartridge into his car stereo!