Fri, 22 May 2009

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

This is under politics because that's what it is: politics. Like all DRM, it's an ownership issue. If I can't fix something I bought and paid for, then I really don't own it at all. If car companies want to protect their precious trade secrets by effectively renting me a car instead of selling me one, that's OK. Because in that case, they can pay to maintain it, too, just like Hertz or Avis.

Ralph Nadar'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.

(link) [Slashdot]

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