Cars Are Rolling Computers Now. So What Happens When They Stop Getting Updates?

jeffw@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 612 points –
Cars Are Now Rolling Computers Now. So What Happens When They Stop Getting Updates?
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Phones are supported well beyond their average ownership lifetime.

Are they?

My hunch is that "average ownership lifetime" for mobile phones is MUCH lower than you or I (or anyone who is careful with their phone) probably expects. There is probably a too-big segment of the market that is trading in yearly for a newer model.

Supported in the sense that "We will update your device and deliberately slow it, break it, or brick it because fuck you."

By communities, but not the manufacturer. Custom ROMs is the only way to keep it up to date for long enough for the hardware to become too old to be worth it.

No custom ROM for cars anytime soon.

There's plenty of custom ROMs for cars from all major manufacturers, you just don't know where to look.Google "ECU remap" or "dpf delete" for an idea. ECU remapping has been done by bold individuals ever since there were programmable ECUs, around 1985.

Apart from engine/drive line tinkering, there are also plenty of third party software that can tinker with body computers for "lifestyle" adjustments.

Is it easy and accessible? No. Because of environmental laws - and vendor lock in - you can't generally and easily dick around with the control software in your car. But it does exist.

I know, but there us as quiet war going on between the chippers and manufacturers. EV is a new battle front and we the consumers are losing right now.

Law makes need to join this century and get involved ensuring competition and longer product lives.

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