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My nightmare is DRM cars--it's exactly what has become of almost all consumer electronics and it totally sucks not just from a hacking perspective but from a re

My nightmare is DRM cars--it's exactly what has become of almost all consumer electronics and it totally sucks not just from a hacking perspective but from a recycling and re-use perspective as well. Watch some of the Apple laptop repair videos on Youtube. Cars are flat out too expensive these days, and then to make them "disposable" on top of that? No way. I like fixing my cars, I like having a fighting chance at self rescue if stranded far from help. Accessibility and flexibility is necessary for survival.

quuquuquu 9y ago
I am afraid that people like you and I are the minority! It seems that corporations have decided to pursue DRM, and people are either knowingly or unknowingly accepting it. The cars are still selling- and I don't see many people at the junkyard with me pulling motors out of cars from 1993. People like us are pretty much being forced to DIY everythig from whatever parts we can find. If I wanted the look of a Tesla, I would find a body only tesla (somehow), and then stick a 95 toyota camry's motor and trans in it. Everyone else will just continue spending all of their money on a car whose utility drops more and more every day.
- solatic 9y ago
  Mostly unknowingly, I would wager. The consequences of deciding to buy a car with DRM are too far removed from the time of purchase. Also, because the mass market isn't knowledgeable enough, it has a higher tendency to simply accept the rising cost of maintenance as inflation, rather than a concerted attempt to raise costs to the consumer.
  - quuquuquu 9y ago
    I completely and totally agree. Most people have no desire to look at a wiring schematic, troll around a junkyard, plasma cut, sand body panels, etc. I do these things on a weekly or monthly basis when I am working on a new project car for myself or to sell or for my friends. Maybe other people value their time and effort differently from me, but they don't realize just how much money and freedom they are sacrificing by buying a DRM car. They either don't know that they are signing up to be exploited, or they feel they have no other choice.
throwaway2016a 9y ago
I'm OK with it is only it is like music where you can pay a little extra and get the DRM free version. Or more accurately (hopefully) pay less for the version with DRM since it is the company that gets the benefit. I would absolutely live it (and pay a premium) if a car company had completely open source flashable firmware. At least on the non-safety systems like navigation.
- throwaway2016a 9y ago
  Whoever downvoted me... it's bad form to downvote someone just because you disagree with them. I personally upvote people I disagree with all the time. Downvoting is for people who aren't being constructive. Now if you felt my comment was not constructive... carry on downvoting Edit: To clarify, downvoting people you disagree with just turns up and downvotes into a popularity contest where saying things that might be minority opinion... DRM may not always be bad... are censored. One of the things I like about HN is someone can have a different opinion than the majority and not get downvoted to oblivion. I for one do not want to see downvotes weaponized.

quuquuquu 9y ago

I am afraid that people like you and I are the minority! It seems that corporations have decided to pursue DRM, and people are either knowingly or unknowingly accepting it. The cars are still selling- and I don't see many people at the junkyard with me pulling motors out of cars from 1993. People like us are pretty much being forced to DIY everythig from whatever parts we can find. If I wanted the look of a Tesla, I would find a body only tesla (somehow), and then stick a 95 toyota camry's motor and trans in it. Everyone else will just continue spending all of their money on a car whose utility drops more and more every day.

solatic 9y ago
Mostly unknowingly, I would wager. The consequences of deciding to buy a car with DRM are too far removed from the time of purchase. Also, because the mass market isn't knowledgeable enough, it has a higher tendency to simply accept the rising cost of maintenance as inflation, rather than a concerted attempt to raise costs to the consumer.
- quuquuquu 9y ago
  I completely and totally agree. Most people have no desire to look at a wiring schematic, troll around a junkyard, plasma cut, sand body panels, etc. I do these things on a weekly or monthly basis when I am working on a new project car for myself or to sell or for my friends. Maybe other people value their time and effort differently from me, but they don't realize just how much money and freedom they are sacrificing by buying a DRM car. They either don't know that they are signing up to be exploited, or they feel they have no other choice.

throwaway2016a 9y ago

I'm OK with it is only it is like music where you can pay a little extra and get the DRM free version. Or more accurately (hopefully) pay less for the version with DRM since it is the company that gets the benefit. I would absolutely live it (and pay a premium) if a car company had completely open source flashable firmware. At least on the non-safety systems like navigation.

throwaway2016a 9y ago
Whoever downvoted me... it's bad form to downvote someone just because you disagree with them. I personally upvote people I disagree with all the time. Downvoting is for people who aren't being constructive. Now if you felt my comment was not constructive... carry on downvoting Edit: To clarify, downvoting people you disagree with just turns up and downvotes into a popularity contest where saying things that might be minority opinion... DRM may not always be bad... are censored. One of the things I like about HN is someone can have a different opinion than the majority and not get downvoted to oblivion. I for one do not want to see downvotes weaponized.