Automakers to gearheads: Stop repairing cars

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Kedis82ZE8

'15 CX-5 AWD GT w/Tech Pkg
Contributor
"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."

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/20/automakers-gearheads-car-repairs/
 
stupid headline...
it should say "Automakers to gearheads: Stop hacking your cars"

there is a big difference between repairing and "tuning" or installing aftermarket parts.

Automakers have never been very "mod friendly" and they are never going to change.
The headline is just misleading clickbait, but the article does make some good points.

As far as our CX-5's go, I take issue with the fact that a lot of diagnostics and settings can only by accessed by using the propitiatory M-MDS (Mazda modular diagnostics system). Someone needs to hack together some good free software for that before these cars start getting old :)
 
Last edited:
This isn't really troubleshooting but this company told me they were going to look into adding Mazda's.

http://www.caristaapp.com/

In the future if anyone ever swapped head unit it would be nice if custom settings could still be configured with your phone.

EDIT: This does do some diagnostics as well.
 
Kedis82ZE8 said:
This isn't really troubleshooting but this company told me they were going to look into adding Mazda's.

http://www.caristaapp.com/

In the future if anyone ever swapped head unit it would be nice if custom settings could still be configured with your phone.

EDIT: This does do some diagnostics as well.
Click to expand...

looks promising. thanks for sharing! I don't think an app will ever be able to support all of the advanced Mazda diagnostics, but it'll probably be enough for just reading the non OBD trouble codes.
 
It appears that GM and John Deere are making the argument that we do not really own our cars but they give us a lifetime license to use them. Add that the new OBD III is going to have the capability to continuously transmit vehicle data to (unknown) sites this is very scary to me.
 
Maineiac said:
It appears that GM and John Deere are making the argument that we do not really own our cars but they give us a lifetime license to use them. Add that the new OBD III is going to have the capability to continuously transmit vehicle data to (unknown) sites this is very scary to me.
Click to expand...

Most software you buy, if you read the fine print, state exactly that: you don't own the software, you are buying a license to use it.

Something physical, like a car, I would think would be more difficult to make that claim. But, if some Lobby pays off the right people, anything is possible. Realtors have lobbied for years that real estate should not be able to change hands without a Realtor involved(and taking a cut) of the transaction.
 
If the manufacturers are concerned about liability, then they should quit worrying about shadetree hackers and deploy technology to prevent texting while driving. If you can detect cross-lane traffic, city smart-stop, and other, then you probably can detect driver texting. Eventually, the lawyers will catch on and this will be big issue.
 
RG_Flyer said:
If the manufacturers are concerned about liability, then they should quit worrying about shadetree hackers and deploy technology to prevent texting while driving. If you can detect cross-lane traffic, city smart-stop, and other, then you probably can detect driver texting. Eventually, the lawyers will catch on and this will be big issue.
Click to expand...

When I hear of people modding their vehicles, adding blowers and exhaust that breath easier, etc... I do sometimes think they're playing with fire, that the engineers put that combination of things together for a reason. But, I'm not that engine savy to know how to make things better, and what things could have a negative effect.
 
Maineiac said:
It appears that GM and John Deere are making the argument that we do not really own our cars but they give us a lifetime license to use them. Add that the new OBD III is going to have the capability to continuously transmit vehicle data to (unknown) sites this is very scary to me.
Click to expand...

Then they should have a lifetime responsibility to fix anything that goes wrong with "their" vehicle! (enguard)
 
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