(Off Topic, but) Question about 2015 Malibu Start/Stop Feature

[calgator73]

 

I much prefer to be able to read up on this sort of stuff online for free then to have to purchase/subscribe to a manual. The way it is described in that link, the average driver does not need to know the details to operate the car.

That's the ultimate goal.

[Jsdirt]

I hear you there Doug ... but my point was, an entire "course" just to understand one system in a vehicle tells me that system has more complexity than it should.

 

I wish auto makers understood the phrase, "KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID!" It seems they go above and beyond purposefully engineering overly complex systems to ensure buyers never lift their hoods. This is one of the main reasons I'll never buy a new vehicle again.

 

Then, there is this little tidbit I was reading about John Deere & GM. If this is how they feel, and if there is any truth to this, I will make sure not ONE DIME of my money EVER finds it's way to EITHER company:

 

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/dmca-ownership-john-deere/

[Doug_Scott]

I hear you there Doug ... but my point was, an entire "course" just to understand one system in a vehicle tells me that system has more complexity than it should.

 

I wish auto makers understood the phrase, "KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID!" It seems they go above and beyond purposefully engineering overly complex systems to ensure buyers never lift their hoods. This is one of the main reasons I'll never buy a new vehicle again.

 

Then, there is this little tidbit I was reading about John Deere & GM. If this is how they feel, and if there is any truth to this, I will make sure not ONE DIME of my money EVER finds it's way to EITHER company:

 

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/dmca-ownership-john-deere/

 

There is one basic flaw in John Deere's and GM's logic. They do not own the hardware, only the soft/firmware running on it. If John Deere and GM win this, then you will have to apply that logic even deeper in the abyss. GM or John Deere have no interest or partnership in companies that manufacture the semi conductors that are the base of any digital system.

 

What do own though is the software/firmware installed on those semi-conductor based systems. Chances are that both GM and John Deere are also licensing code from some other company. Doubt either of them wrote the BIOS running on their PCM/ECM/TCM etc. This is exactly the same as your home computer. You own all the actual hardware, and you have a license to use software from the company that wrote that software.

 

The reason you can only get a license to use the software is simply due to copyright ownership. If you actually purchase the software, that also gives you the source code. I doubt most have any issue with them retaining ownership of the software. This keeps GM liable for the operation of the software, provided it is un-modified.

 

Some of the arguments provided in that article are taken way out of context, and being reported as being fact. Something he does not seem to want to address is who's name is listed as being the author or source of the firmware that someone has gone in and modified? I think you will find the original author is still listed as the author. Lets say something happens with the modified software, resulting in the death of someone. It goes to court, with the author being found liable even though he did not make the changes. Done correctly, any firmware can be modified and appear to be never modified. Problem with written words, you can never prove you did not write it. Remember, digital records are easy to alter when not encrypted.

 

What manufacturers should be doing is allowing the consumer to remove the software they do not like, and install their own. Or, make the software an option on the order form. If the standard installed software does not do what you want it to, Find software that does do what you want it to do and order the vehicle without the software installed. There are quite a few off the shelf injection systems out there now. Use one of those instead. That would be the fair thing to do.