Wait until those big corporations start using LLMs to learn how to lock things down even further, or implement checks that disable your car when it detects alterations to the software “for safety reasons”, or go after drivers who do these things for loss of revenue, etc. A ‘94 Jeep will be fair game but a new car might not be.
[−]SV_BubbleTime · 2026-11-15 Sun 16:22 UTC ·
link
New cars already have it.
Lockstep processors, hardware security modules with immutable unreadable keys, and PKI keys that the mfg holds the private for that can only be accessed on their online services.
It’s locked down now and this started in 2018 or so. It’s just worse now.
To automotive, there is really still no right to repair. They get around it by selling “3 day passes” to their service, but with their hardware and at their prices.
They’re all moving the Tesla system of more centralized brain systems which will be even more protected.
Sad to hear. I am not a car owner, but lived in the EU for most of my life. The consumer market owes quite some consumer rights to the EU, so I guess all we can do is hope that they'll eventually crack down on these measurements again.
> The consumer market owes quite some consumer rights to the EU
Let's be clear that it's just incentives. If the EU economy was based on creating companies and new products there would not be as many incentives for consumer "rights" there.
[−]PorciiVorbesc · 2026-11-15 Sun 19:01 UTC ·
link
> The consumer market owes quite some consumer rights to the EU
Not for car owners/consumers in the EU. Auto makers and dealers get away with a lot of shady shit fucking over their customers in the EU all the time.
Like sibling said, there are incentives to regulate stuff that has no impact on EU businesses, shit like USB-C or replaceable batteries, but they won't touch the auto industry to mandate easier repairs and less lock-downs.
They've been doing that for a decade. I think overall the balance will shift in our favor but Big AI labs will do everything they can to try and stop us.
Claude is quick to refuse to help with reverse engineering and I suspect it's only going to get worse over time.
Yes, they have been on that road for years. Tesla showed everyone the way with things like always-on connectivity or not being able to change a headlight with another original one without Tesla’s blessing. What I meant is that whatever I can do with an LLM they can do more. And if they can invoke “safety” that'll keep the law on their side for some time.
As far as I can tell no manufacturer disables the car yet when detecting modifications, or take drivers to court for doing it, yet.
They are now required to do just that, if they want to sell to the EU market. When you hear the term "cybersecurity," the real subject is the protection of revenue streams from attack by end users.
>big corporations start using LLMs to learn how to lock things down even further
Why would they? They just need to fund lobbyist to make it illegal for any AI to reverse engineer anything copyrighted or with IP.
Sure, you can use open source AI to do it but not everyone will/can do it.
So, they don't need to ban everyone, they just need to make sure the final code isn't available freely on GitHub. That would minimize the damage, it's not a perfect solution but more than enough to protect the company.
Lockstep processors, hardware security modules with immutable unreadable keys, and PKI keys that the mfg holds the private for that can only be accessed on their online services.
It’s locked down now and this started in 2018 or so. It’s just worse now.
To automotive, there is really still no right to repair. They get around it by selling “3 day passes” to their service, but with their hardware and at their prices.
They’re all moving the Tesla system of more centralized brain systems which will be even more protected.
Let's be clear that it's just incentives. If the EU economy was based on creating companies and new products there would not be as many incentives for consumer "rights" there.
Not for car owners/consumers in the EU. Auto makers and dealers get away with a lot of shady shit fucking over their customers in the EU all the time.
Like sibling said, there are incentives to regulate stuff that has no impact on EU businesses, shit like USB-C or replaceable batteries, but they won't touch the auto industry to mandate easier repairs and less lock-downs.
Claude is quick to refuse to help with reverse engineering and I suspect it's only going to get worse over time.
As far as I can tell no manufacturer disables the car yet when detecting modifications, or take drivers to court for doing it, yet.
Why would they? They just need to fund lobbyist to make it illegal for any AI to reverse engineer anything copyrighted or with IP.
Sure, you can use open source AI to do it but not everyone will/can do it.
So, they don't need to ban everyone, they just need to make sure the final code isn't available freely on GitHub. That would minimize the damage, it's not a perfect solution but more than enough to protect the company.