Right-to-Repair Law To Get DRM Out of Your Car

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday May 20, 2009 @11:27AM from the do-it-yourself dept.

eldavojohn writes "Ralph Nader's back to hounding the automotive industry ... but it's not about safety this time, it's about the pesky DRM in your car. Most cars have a UART in them that allows you to read off diagnostic codes and information about what may be wrong with the vehicle so you can repair it. Late model cars have been getting increasingly complex and dependent on computers which has caused them, as with most things digital, to move towards a proprietary DRM for these tools, diagnostic codes and updated repair information. This has kept independent auto-shops out of the market for fixing your car and relegating you to depend on pricier dealers to get your automotive ailments cured. The bill still has a provision to protect trade secrets but is a step forward to open up the codes and tools necessary to keep your car running."

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I believe in free market capitalism by Adult+film+producer · 2009-05-20 11:32 · Score: -1, Troll

so there is no way I will support Ralph Nader on this. If the car companies want you to deal with certified technicians then so be it. Independent mechanics are usually a bunch of creepy fucks to begin with so FUCK them and FUCK ralph nader. There is no way Ronald Reagan would be on board with this nonsense.