Vehicle Codes

I came across this article on Wired.com. It talks about how more and more drivers are demanding that the auto manufacturers should release the onboard computer codes to the owners of the vehicles. I am unsure as to why the owners would want the codes though. Wouldn't the vehicle owners also need a diagnostics machine to actually access the onboard computer?

Full Story....

Interesting,

I have installed turnkey computer systems for a few small garages. The manufacturers are obliged to supply the software for their cars, but they charge for it, and the basic equipment is about $6,200. We have laws about restrictive trade practices (sort of anti-trust) over here :D

I would have thought that the next move would be to force the manufacturers to put this information in the public domain? Your actual car code is irrelevant, all you need is the manufacturer's software and the device to run it on. I only know about BMWs here, if it needed a car specific code, that would be totally illegal over here.

Cheers

And the little b******s have the nerve to complain about "grey imports"?

A little story:

At one of these garages, the guy (a friend) had been given a CD with these screensavers for a certain European tyre (tire) manufacturer, and he couldn't get it to work. So I messed around for a while, got it working, and for a laugh, rang up the marketing director of this company and explained it all.

I got a new copy sent to me personally to pre-check before release, and five new tyres (tires) for my wife's car, for "road testing" of course........IRS eat your hearts out :D

If they keep on like this, forget GATT...........there will be an entire World dual economy?

Skiddies and Warez sites for automobile diagnostics?.................arrrrrgh!

It makes sense that the consumer wants the codes so they don't get taken for a ride.
oooohhhh, bad pun
Anyway, many people don't trust auto mechanics. If they know what the problem with their car is before they take it in for service, they will know whether or not they're being bullshitted by the mechanic.
They could plug in, find out the problem, look it up online, get a reasonable idea of the cost to fix it, then take it to the mechanic and tell them what they want.

I've seen very cheap devices that can (supposedly) display the codes. The key is knowing what the code means.

Just get a hammer and hack the box.;)
that'll keep the "skiddies" busy for a while i guess.

f2b

i read an article on tron some time ago.

i believe that it stated that the Toyota car company actually use tron in their cars.

http://www.google.ie/search?q=The+Re...System+Nucleus