It's OK to hack your own car, US copyright authorities rule

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

It's OK to hack your own car, US copyright authorities rule

Reuters
Wednesday 28 October 2015 00.42 GMT

Car owners and security experts can tinker with automobile software without incurring US copyright liability, according to newly issued guidelines that were opposed by the auto industry.

The Library of Congress, which oversees the US Copyright Office, agreed with fair use advocates who argued that vehicle owners are entitled to modify their cars, which often involves altering software.

Automakers including General Motors and other vehicle manufacturers such as Deere & Co opposed the rules. They said vehicle owners could visit authorized repair shops for changes they may need to undertake.

However US copyright officials decided that altering computer programs for vehicle repair or modification may not infringe a manufacturer’s software copyright.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/28/its-ok-to-hack-your-own-car-us-copyright-authorities-rule

GD thread from April: Automakers to use copyright law to stop owners and some mechanics from modifying cars

[TexasProgresive]

1. Does this include rechiping a diesel pickup

so that it belches out tons of black smoke?

[IDemo]

3. If you perfect that bit of code

You can release it as the VeeDubya module.

[TexasProgresive]

5. Hee! Hee!

[X_Digger]

7. No crime to rechip.. but actually using it may be clean air act violation (or state pollution law)nt

[Kalidurga]

2. Wooooooooo hooooo for common sense prevailing.

I am of the you bought it you own it school of thought and forcing people to come back to the dealership to pay for something that only the dealership would be able to do seems on the face of it very wrong.

[Omaha Steve]

4. Thanks for posting

K&R!

OS

[X_Digger]

6. Hrmm.. I wish the article addressed the DMCA concerns directly.

Wrapping encryption around your firmware does not make it an instant crime to decrypt it on your own car (or other device.)