Automakers To Gearheads: Stop Repairing Cars

Mr_Blank writes Automakers are supporting provisions in copyright law that could prohibit home mechanics and car enthusiasts from repairing and modifying their own vehicles. In comments filed with a federal agency that will determine whether tinkering with a car constitutes a copyright violation, OEMs and their main lobbying organization say cars have become too complex and dangerous for consumers and third parties to handle. The dispute arises from a section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that no one thought could apply to vehicles when it was signed into law in 1998. But now, in an era where cars are rolling computing platforms, the U.S. Copyright Office is examining whether provisions of the law that protect intellectual property should prohibit people from modifying and tuning their cars.

Comments

Re:Oh Look, a Car Analogy for Last Week's Story!

[tnk1]

This has nothing to do with the free market. This is using government regulation to prevent the fair use of your own property.

Although I wouldn't be surprised if someone made that lame brained argument on the automaker's side. They're no more in favor of a free market than a communist is. It just so happens that when they have bought out the government, government regulation works for them, and not as a means of checking them.

Re:Probably best

[LWATCDR]

Actually most hot rodders are using the new Chevy LS engines on older cars because they are so good and easy to work one even with the computer.
Google Chevy LS builds.

Re:You no longer own a car

[davester666]

Hell, the moron who replaced the water pump in a truck just before I bought didn't bother to clip the radiator hoses down [just push them into their holders].

Two weeks later, fan rubs a hole in it, and all the water gets pumped out.

Fortunately, it was a cold day and I wasn't too far from a parts store...

There are a million things that a weekend mechanic can do to make a vehicle dangerous to drive.

And don't forget the manufacturer. They can't even get it right. Are there any vehicles that don't have one or more recalls issued for them, for all kinds of fun reasons like the ignition key turning to off [and locking the steering wheel in place] while the car is in motion, or the steering wheel coming off, engine revving or turning off spontaneously, transmission shifting incorrectly, brakes failing, air bags deploying [or not].