|
Of course the linked article skews things to be more alarmist - its what such articles are supposed to do. There are legitimate concerns to be addressed with the increasing computerisation of cars. That said, the DMCA hardly seems an appropriate vehicle (pun intended) to address those concerns.
The first comment I saw against that article said: "That's the most un-American thing I've heard." It's not really a surprise, and given the significance of cars to many people (not just in America), it is easy to see this debate heading much the same way as gun control debates. When is someone going to say "You can have my car when you prise the steering wheel from my cold dead fingers"? I can certainly see the passion as strong enough to generate such rhetoric.
Of course, it doesn't have to be like that. The situation is growing complex enough that only specialists will have the knowledge required to safely modify certain aspects of a car's operation. That is simple fact. However, just as already exists, I expect car manufacturers will continue to supply interfaces to allow changes to other areas. Might some manufacturers try to lock away more than they should? Quite possibly, but in doing so they open the market to competitors who let people play more - think "overclocker motherboards" for computer enthusiasts. Of course the worst a PC overclocker is going to do in bypassing the safety features built into the BIOS is fry their own motherboard, the stakes are much higher when it comes to cars - so appropriate legislation is definitely required. But...
I still say the DMCA is the wrong battleground. Leave copyright out of it. This is a public safety issue, not a copyright one. Legislation needs to address the real issue - maybe it already does.
|