Do you really own your car?

[Clocker]

GM says that you are licensing it from them.

GM has joined with John Deere in asking the government to confirm that you literally cannot own your car because of the software in its engine.

Like Deere, GM wants to stop the Copyright Office from granting an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that would allow you to jailbreak the code in your car's engine so that you can take it to a non-GM mechanic for service, or fix it yourself. By controlling who can service your car, GM can force you to buy only official, expensive parts, protecting its bottom line.

http://consumerist.com/2015/05/20/gm-that-car-you-bought-were-really-the-ones-who-own-it/

[Actor]

GM says that you are licensing it from them.
Could Microsoft or Apple develop and sell a competing computer and/or software that could replace the manufacturer's computer/software?

For that matter what's to keep Ford, Honda, Toyota, etc. from selling cars with public domain software? Could be a selling point.

By the way, my "car" is a motorcycle that does not have a computer in it.

[lamboguy]

i was on the road about a year ago in my 1997 Buick Lesabre. i popped the break line as luck would have it about 100 yards away from a chevy dealership. i drove the car into the service area and the guy put the car on the lift and low and behold he told me it was break line. i asked him if he could fix it now and how much it was going to cost. he came back with a computer printout that said it will cost $872 and told me he couldn't get to the car for about 4 hours. i said that's alright, i will tow the car over to my regular mechanic about 3 miles away. the dealership charged me $45 for putting the car on the lift and diagnosing the problem. i paid them and had the tow company get the car.

my mechanic got the car and fixed the break lines in less than 1/2 hour and charged me $135 for the whole job.

so this deal that GM wants is going to open everyone up to getting robbed and receiving poor service like they have always done for many years. it would probably force more people to buy new cars before the car gets to 100,000 on the clock because it would cost more to fix at the dealership than to buy a new one. its also another example how big business figures out how to take down the middle class and keep them on their knee's.






5

[JustRalph]

This would open up an entirely new avenue for software developers.

They would jump on this market so fast, GM would be fools to push this

[tucker6]

This would open up an entirely new avenue for software developers.

They would jump on this market so fast, GM would be fools to push this
hasn't that already been established as fact?

[Tom]

Sounds like the ACA part 2 - Automotive Care Act.

GM is bad for the country.

[BlueChip@DRF]

Does this apply to American-made cars only?

[Tom]

Define American made.
Honda, Toyota......made inthe USA.

GM is so 1950's.......Blahmobiles.

[BlueChip@DRF]

Subaru?

[Tom]

That too.

[BlueChip@DRF]

I had to wait for mine to be imported because of that tsunami disaster.

[Dave Schwartz]

Too bad the mechanics of America do not have a political lobby.

[Clocker]

Does this apply to American-made cars only?

If GM and John Deere are allowed to do this, then I assume that any other manufacturer would be allowed to do it also. I would also assume that some would opt not to do it.

[classhandicapper]

It's likely GM will end up back in bankruptcy in the next recession anyway.

[Robert Goren]

Define American made.
Honda, Toyota......made inthe USA.

GM is so 1950's.......Blahmobiles.Assembled in America would be more accurate.

[Tom]

By American workers.
Food going on the tables of Americans.
And without the curse of unions skimming off part of their wages for nothing?
In my last job, we supplied a lot of parts to the transplants - made here in the USA. In my present job, were supply not only parts, but hard tooling as well. To make more parts in the USA by other USA companies.

You think GM is any different?
Here's a clue - they are not.

Cookie cutter replies fail to hit the target.

[JustRalph]

Assembled in America would be more accurate.

Read it and weep. Toyota and Honda are some of the most American you can buy

From the link below:

"Another entry for Toyota, this time tied for top spot on the list. The Tundra, Toyota’s larger pickup model achieves a Kogod Index Score of 78.5, far outclassing Ram, Chevy, and GMC models. The Tundra is not only assembled in the United States, but also has its transmission and engine built here as well. As for the percentage of North American content, the Tundra sees 75 percent of its materials sourced from America. Very impressive for a Japanese-born pickup, as it’s obvious Toyota’s efforts to appeal to American buyers is paying off with its models remaining popular choices for truck fans."



Read more: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/the-8-most-american-trucks-for-2014.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3bUV4izSq

[BlueChip@DRF]

Read it and weep. Toyota and Honda are some of the most American you can buy

From the link below:

"Another entry for Toyota, this time tied for top spot on the list. The Tundra, Toyota’s larger pickup model achieves a Kogod Index Score of 78.5, far outclassing Ram, Chevy, and GMC models. The Tundra is not only assembled in the United States, but also has its transmission and engine built here as well. As for the percentage of North American content, the Tundra sees 75 percent of its materials sourced from America. Very impressive for a Japanese-born pickup, as it’s obvious Toyota’s efforts to appeal to American buyers is paying off with its models remaining popular choices for truck fans."



Read more: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/the-8-most-american-trucks-for-2014.html/?a=viewall#ixzz3bUV4izSq


What about the recall on all those airbags?

[JustRalph]

What about the recall on all those airbags?

just what the hell does that have to do with the subject?

That recall crosses many brands. At least they are doing something about it.

At GM they knew for 10 years their cars were killing people and didn't do a damn thing about it.

Criminal charges are pending....... against GM execs. I doubt they can find a prosecutor willing to do it.