Is this where we are going????

Automakers to gearheads: Stop repairing cars

 

God save us from the government.

 

A friend of mine told 20 years ago that someday the hoods will be sealed and the consumer will have no access to anything under the hood.

Well, we're almost there in a sort of way. We can't really check transmission fluid anymore, there's no more power steering on certain models so nothing to check there.

The cars are more maintenance free than ever before so service intervals are much longer.

 

While I'm not sure my thoughts about vehicles being controlled more and more by on-board computers is more a function of manufacturers trying to keep a tight grip on potential profits by essentially forcing consumers to obtain repairs in one of their franchised dealers I do notice all this BS about "connectivity" being an issue now raised. I mean how dare we make it even possible some miscreant hack our vehicle wi-fi connection and get all that uber-sensitive info for themselves?

I mean who wants all that boring and trivial "facebook" crap falling into the wrong hands, distributed to those we've not "friended" there? After reading that article I have to seriously wonder how far this might have gone had it not been for the inclusion of internet capability being added to normal vehicles?

The real part of trying to impose what's essentially hands off regulations or laws forbidding anyone other than franchised or "authorized" facilities from repairing vehicles is staffing and the actual shops themselves. If suddenly dealers were the only ones repairing vehicles how possibly could that even work or be put into place?

Add in there would most likely be huge personal freedom issues raised because such proposals definitely impose restrictions on products we own. While I can see some minor concern with ECM's being changed in ways that might affect safety systems its still a slippery slope to even embark upon.

Good case in point is a recently sold '99 Volvo S80-T6 sedan. Functions NOT controlled by proprietary modules were scant compared to those that were. For cryin' out load EACH of the four passenger doors had "modules" in them that potentially affected operation of other systems. Don't get me started on the electronically controlled braking system---that's a whole other nightmare.

What further made this a nightmare was Volve stopped supporting that year car, would no longer "allow" its dealers to do some things based solely upon the year. Were this proposal put into effect would it then render such a car essentially undriveable?

I know that's a far stretch but it still speaks to manufacturers being allowed to govern who can service their cars, how it would have a severe impact on the American driver.

Of course those addicted to "facebook" and its similar BS might welcome the change---after all a secure wi-fi connection at freeway speeds is of paramount concern right?

 

If so, God save us.. I really dont like the idea of some Hollywood movies becoming realities