Technology Withdrawl

[gm280]

Early this year there was a bit of a flap because the Auto Manufacturers were appealing to the Patent Office for a ruling on whether 3rd party access and/or modification to some critical electronic componentry was protected under the DCMA. Not sure whether there is an update yet. Their outlook for success was not thought to be very good.

If that is what you are referring to, it is a FAR cry from banning shadetree-ers from getting their hands dirty at all.

If not, maybe can you post some links to a few of your reputable sources? I'd agree, that would be over the top.

Tim you may have hit on the issue but with the Acronym spelt differently. It is the It?s called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). It?s been around since 2000 and started as anti-Internet piracy legislation. But automakers want to use it to try and make working on your own car illegal. Yes, illegal. The general premise is that unlike cars of the past, today?s vehicles are so advanced and use such a large amount of software and coding in their general makeup, altering said code could be dangerous and possibly even malicious.

There are issues about it posted all over the net and not hard to find. But the vehicle manufacturers are grouping together knowing if they win, they will rake in the huge profits without any third parties taking away workload. I have heard about it a few times now and even from a close friend that runs his own very successful auto repair business as well. He seems to think it is something to worry about! I honestly don't know the possibilities of such things. But who knows, it could! Something to think about anyways... :noidea:

 

[sphelps]

Well you might better hold on to the old non-computerized vehicle in the back yard ... When the space aliens or the Chinese knock out the grid system and nothing works you can always fire up the ol Willy's to get around .. :tinfoil3:
But really I do like all the new technology .. It does make life a lot easier ... That is if I can get my kids to teach me how to use it .. :facepalm:

 

[FlaCowboy]

You folks can have the technology...

gimme back my 69 GTO Judge with a 400 hp 4 speed...or my 71 Mustang Mach 1 with a 390 4 speed...or my 72 Plymouth Duster with a 383 4 speed...

 

[bruceb58]

There are issues about it posted all over the net and not hard to find.

So post the links!

Not the links about modifying the ECU...ones that say you can't repair your own car.

There are lots of products sold that have fully functional software that are enabled with licenses. I am sure the car manufacturers would be concerned with owners modifying the code to enable licenses illegally in the future. The products we sell have all features capable of working on every card sold but we can enable the card remotely if the customer wants certain features enabled.

 

[BWR1953]

You folks can have the technology...

gimme back my 69 GTO Judge with a 400 hp 4 speed...or my 71 Mustang Mach 1 with a 390 4 speed...or my 72 Plymouth Duster with a 383 4 speed...

I had a '69 GTO with 400 and auto trans. And I've owned 8 different Mustangs over the years as well.

The aforementioned modern 6 cylinder (and many 4 cylinder) cars of today are faster, handle better, stop better, are much safer and get far better fuel economy than those old cars. They'd blow the doors off the old classic cars. Progress rolls on whether we want it to or not. :madgrin:

Pretty soon some ancient guys will be chiming in on this thread about missing their horses and buggy whips! :scared:

 

[MTboatguy]

This old guy finally graduated the horse and buggy stage, I just purchased a nice 1908 Henry Ford horseless carriage!

 

[Cofe]

Everyone?s comments have got me thinking about all the new technology and what could cause serious problems. I awoke this morning with a scary thought about front crash avoidance technology. Here is a story...the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Jack just bought a vehicle with front crash avoidance technology, and was pulling out of the parking garage after work. Everything was going fine, and he was enjoying the new blue tooth connection with his cell phone. Out of the corner of his eye he notices people standing around after work talking on cell phones. He thinks ?technology has come a long way.? He continues on his way down the street on his way home without knowing what is about to happen.

At the parking garage entrance he just came from, was a man on a cell phone talking to his buddy a few blocks away about the new car with front crash avoidance technology coming his way. The man a few blocks away acknowledges and sees Jack coming down the street, then grabs a trash bag full of wadded up news papers and throws it in front of unsuspecting Jack. The car comes to a stop before hitting the trash bag. The man then jumps out kicks the trash bag out of the way and produces a gun and tells Jack to put the car in park and get out....or get lead poisoning. Jack fearing for his life complies and the man jumps into his car and speeds off... Jack thinks...?I have just been jacked by this new jacking technology.?...The End...

 

[aspeck]

... then Jack gets on his cell phone, calls onstar and gives them his code and tells them his car has just been stolen. They notify the police and tell the police where the car is and what direction it is heading. When the police get within eye sight of the car, onstar disables the vehicle and the car thief is arrested ... the car jacker has just been jacked by the jacking technology ... The Second End.

 

[aspeck]

As I alluded to earlier, technology is neither good or bad. It is what WE chose to make of it. Like the similar story, one of my mother's caregivers had to "clock on" using a smart phone when she arrived at the house. Unfortunately I was paying $18.50 per hour for her services, but she was only receiving $8.50 per hour. She was working part time, and it was her only income. She could not afford a smart phone or the data plan to go along with it. Yet this was a requirement of her employment. I called her manager and she was allowed to call her manager who would "clock" her in as long as the call came from my mother's phone. Her manager did not like having to deal with calls to clock out at 11pm.

You can find what you want to find in technology. I enjoy technology, but am not the techie I used to be. Other things became more important to me than spending time learning the new technology, and the time spent on the computers updating or debugging them, etc. I would rather spend that time in the woods or on the water. The world is speeding up at a time I want to be slowing down ... some technology I really really like, some I hate because we are losing the human touch...

 

[roscoe]

Exactly, aspeck.

I want the choice, and often, we don't have the choice.

If I don't want, need, or can't afford to use it, I should have the choice, and have the non tech choice.

 

[bruceb58]

Not this one. It's been a great car for over 200,000 miles, and runs strong, drives great. Too bad the salt up here is going to force me into tough decision soon

Must have been an option in that year. I believe all cars are requires to have them after 2009 or so.

I want the person behind me to have them since I have them!

 

[aspeck]

Must have been an option in that year. I believe all cars are requires to have them after 2009 or so.

I want the person behind me to have them since I have them!

I am trying to remember, but I believe it had what was called a "mechanical" ABS ... it wasn't sensor driven, but the brakes were not supposed to "lock up." Sometimes, in some models, like the trucks, it just felt like you were not going to be able to stop.

 

[bruceb58]

I am trying to remember, but I believe it had what was called a "mechanical" ABS ... it wasn't sensor driven, but the brakes were not supposed to "lock up." Sometimes, in some models, like the trucks, it just felt like you were not going to be able to stop.

My 1999 Silverado has an electronic ABS. Has speed sensors on all wheels. I have had a few failures with it. The module that has solenoids that sit above the ABS unit has had failed a couple times. Its just a board with some actuators on it and some driver circuits. I send it to a guy on eBay who fixes it for $100 or so and send it back with a lifetime guarantee. I have sent it back one other time.

 

[bassman284]

I had a '69 GTO with 400 and auto trans. And I've owned 8 different Mustangs over the years as well.

The aforementioned modern 6 cylinder (and many 4 cylinder) cars of today are faster, handle better, stop better, are much safer and get far better fuel economy than those old cars. They'd blow the doors off the old classic cars. Progress rolls on whether we want it to or not. :madgrin:

Pretty soon some ancient guys will be chiming in on this thread about missing their horses and buggy whips! :scared:

It's still fun every now and then when I'm one of those classic muscle cars down the street and smelling the raw gasoline coming out the exhaust. Bygone days of yore.

 

[WIMUSKY]

It's still fun every now and then when I'm one of those classic muscle cars down the street and smelling the raw gasoline coming out the exhaust. Bygone days of yore.

But it smells so good.......... I had a '68 GTO

 

[FlaCowboy]

But it smells so good.......... I had a '68 GTO

Kinda like the two strokes vs the four...nuttin smells better @ 6 in the morning on the water than an ole two stroke...

 

[bassman284]

Just thinking, one bit of useless electronic fluff that I really do enjoy is the rain sensing wipers. Pure unadulterated fun.

 

[NYBo]

For all you guys longing for the automotive "good old days':

 

[GA_Boater]

For all you guys longing for the automotive "good old days':

Fred has no brake shoes!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Fred has no brake shoes!

Good one! He does have blisters, however....