What will happen to the hot booth babe industry if aftermarket audio/video systems disappear?
The Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro sent a letter to members of Congress urging the support of H.R. 2048, the Motor Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act, introduced in 2005 by House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) and Representatives Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and Darrell Issa (R-CA). The bill would protect consumers’ rights to upgrade and repair their automobiles where they want and with the products of their choice.
“Americans should have the right to choose which new technologies are used in their vehicle, as well as the right to choose who installs these products,” said Shapiro. “As vehicles continue to become more electronically complex, automobile manufacturers have begun implementing specific proprietary access codes to allow access to the advanced computer mainframe. This effectively has caused many consumers and their independent installer to be locked out of their own vehicle when it comes to the installation of new mobile electronics products such as video screens, navigation devices and audio systems.
Why don’t our car makers just focus on making better cars?
Sorry, this all comes down to warranty and product liability. As long as the manufacturer is on the hook to provide warranty coverage, then they should have some level of control as to what modifications you make after the purchase.
What will happen to the hot booth babe industry if aftermarket audio/video systems disappear?
We already know you’re pro-ho. This faux debate isn’t needed.
#1 and #2 are addressing different issues. #1 stated *modifications* and #2 stated repairs.
As it stands, you’re both right. Modifications that cause problems should not be covered by warranty.
Repairs using OEM parts and competently installed (by whomever) should not affect warranty coverage.
Warranty coverage cost is accrued by the company and built into every product. I don’t want the cost of my products driven up by guys who bolt on every power mod available and then try to get warranty coverage.
On the other hand, I don’t want my automaker denying my warranty claim because I chose to maintain my own vehicle (properly)
We aren’t talking about an oil change here; we’re talking altering the car from what was sold to you. The electronic systems of cars are increasingly being integrated, so if you take out the factory head unit and replace it with an aftermarket one and now all the sudden other things don’t work, who’s fault is it? It surely isn’t the manufacturer’s fault, since they had no obligation to make their car interoperable with aftermarket devices. In many new “luxury” cars, everything (from the stereo to tire pressure and suspension tightness) is controlled through a central console.
Here’s another test: go ahead and add a bunch of crazy aftermarket performance parts to your engine, and see how far that warranty claim goes if it blows up on you.
#4 is right: Smartalix changed “modification” to “repair” and then argued that changed point. Strawman. Again.
Bottom line is, you can’t expect them to be on the hook for every concievable modification and how it might interact with a given car. It’s impossible to test every variable before bringing a car to market. You can either agree to the terms or buy a car that has warranty terms you CAN live with. No one if forcing you to buy a brand new car with a warranty you don’t agree with.
They don’t have the capacity to do all these repairs. They’ll open up themselves anyways
In the case of modifications being made to a vehicle, I do not think the car manufacturer should be held responsible for anything going wrong. When you modify the vehicle you effectively void your warranty in my opinion. The car company cannot and should not be held responsible for any modifications that go wrong. As far as normal repairs and maintenance, I feel the car owner has every right to take it to any mechanic they choose. virge.
“What will happen to the hot booth babe industry…?”
Since distraction is their primary purpose, may I suggest that the government has far too few hot babes holding press conferences. Replace Tony Snow with a hot booth babe, and her bare midriff might make a reporter forget his name, much less his question. I still don’t have a way to deal with Helen Thomas, but who does?
One way or another, I predict hot babes will survive.
She can change my oil any time.
Reminds me of when GM started standardizing on those huge Delco units, which took up so much dash space.
Trying to fit anything other than another Delco unit was even fugglier than the Delcos themselves…
[I don’t often get the chance to use the word “fugglier”…]
On the point of “why don’t they focus on making better cars”, you should have said “better and more fuel-efficient cars”.
“automobile manufacturers have begun implementing specific proprietary access codes to allow access to the advanced computer mainframe. This effectively has caused many consumers and their independent installer to be locked out of their own vehicle”
Congress better watch its self, they may violate their own draconian DMCA if they pass such legislation.
this issue is freakin simple
* I buy the car
* it belongs to me
* it no longer belongs to ford/chevy/whatever
* if ford/chevy/whatever won’t support my mod’s; that’s on me
* it’s none of ford’s business what i do with my car
* however, if they told me up from that i couldn’t mod it, fine, i just won’t buy the car.
And more to the original point — the factory CD player (which I bought after already owning the car, and is separate from the actual head unit) in my VW requires a code for it to work in my car, and that’s because it’s all tied into the anti-theft system.
Smartalix, this is pretty simple: If you add or change the components of the vehicle, you have modified it. As for where you said “repair?
“your local auto mechanic would be out of business.”
Your local mechanic is doing what? Car stereo installations? Installing DVD players? If so, you have the only mechanic in America that does. Generally speaking…in fact I’d say almost all the time…they…get ready…REPAIR vehicles.
Simple comprehension of the words that make up our language. Adding or changing components is modification. Mechanics repair and maintain vehicles. If you want to mod your car…buy one that allows mods as per the warranty. If you void your warranty, you are the one at fault.
Seems pretty simple to me, and everyone else too. You want the car company to cover potential damages AND let you do what you want to the car. The way I see it, you either let them set the terms of coverage or you shop somewhere else.
The aftermarket industry will not die no matter how much FUD you try to throw around.
13 & 16: gquaglia & Mike bring up good points regarding how inter-related the vehicle systems are getting, and laws the manufacturers may be able to use [abuse] to limit our choices – to what they can sell us… Why make it easy for you to buy add-ons from someone else, vice getting your car “loaded’ from the mothership?
The real issue is the right to decide what you do and don’t do with your vehicle. Whether you modify your vehicle is one thing, but what happens when that factory system goes out. That’s the real issue, as well. Are you really going to purchase that overly expensive dashboard stereo from the carmaker, or are you going to go to the aftermarket to get an inexpensive radio that offers more features. That’s the key.
The Consumer Electronics Association has its Your Ride Your Way (www.yourrideyourway.com) campaign. Check the site out. There’s a study that surveyed 1,700 installers about what they face in the installation bay. Interesting stuff.
It seems to be a rule in business today.If things are not going well blame your customers
“this issue is freakin simple
* I buy the car
* it belongs to me
* it no longer belongs to ford/chevy/whatever
* if ford/chevy/whatever won’t support my mod’s; that’s on me
* it’s none of ford’s business what i do with my car
* however, if they told me up from that i couldn’t mod it, fine, i just won’t buy the car. ”
I always thought the same thing about albums, CDs and such when I was growing up. I now know it was not the case. The new business model is moving away from ownership and becoming one of right to use. Maybe my with my next car I’ll have to sign a EULA before the salesman hands me the keys!!
When the DMCA came out many moons ago, I opined that preventing people from digging into software to see how it works was akin to preventing people from digging into their car to see how it works. “Eventually, the DMCA could prevent hobbiests from mod-ing their car.” I was told that couldn’t possibly happen, that people would revolt, that cars are not like software…
Well..here we are. The auto manufacturers are heading down this very road (no pun intended). They are going to lock out all their computer systems and use the DMCA to prevent people from mod-ing their car and try to kill the aftermarkets. Oh, sure you can install new heads or a new super-charger, but how are you going to tweak the fuel system when you don’t have access to the injector computer?
> Maybe my with my next car I’ll have to sign a
> EULA before the salesman hands me the keys!!
You laugh now, but that day is coming soon.
I agree Thomas. Thank you Bill Clinton for the DMCA.