Automakers To Gear Heads - Repairing Your Car May Be A Violation Of Federal Law

Automakers are supporting provisions in copyright law that could prohibit home mechanics and car enthusiasts from repairing and modifying their own vehicles.

In comments filed with a federal agency that will determine whether tinkering with a car constitutes a copyright violation, OEMs and their main lobbying organization say cars have become too complex and dangerous for consumers and third parties to handle.

Allowing them to continue to fix their cars has become "legally problematic," according to a written statement from the Auto Alliance, the main lobbying arm of automakers.

The dispute arises from a section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that no one thought could apply to vehicles when it was signed into law in 1998. But now, in an era where cars are rolling computing platforms, the U.S. Copyright Office is examining whether provisions of the law that protect intellectual property should prohibit people from modifying and tuning their cars.

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CarCrazedinCali - 4/22/2015 3:56:01 PM

+2 Boost

Sounds like a possible conflict of interest there. It is in the interest of the auto manufacturer to support the dealerships so how can we trust this isn't just a move to bolster the pocketbooks of the dealers and manufacturers at the same time... Fishy

TomM - 4/22/2015 4:07:42 PM

+2 Boost

This has been brought up before and represents a change in how copyrights could be viewed.

When you bought a book - the words were copyrighted BUT you - as OWNER of the book could choose to use a pair of scissors and cut the book into little pieces - for your own use. Why? Because YOU owned your copy of the book - not the author, not the publisher, not the bookseller. It was a PURCHASE transferring ownership rights to that copy of the book. AND you still had the right to maintain an archival copy of the book in its original form as well. However - you could not deliberately change the words in a book - and attempt to sell copies of that new story as the original one. THAT is a copyright violation.

Manufacturers do NOT own the car - YOU do. While you do not have the right to build another identical car - and sell it as the original - the car you BUY gives you rights of ownership - including the right to MODIFY it for your personal use. And you are personally responsible for those modifications - not the manufacturer. Those modifications could simply be the addition of Floor mats - or Pin-striping - or different tires/wheels - all the way to more major modifications for performance reasons. Now - those modification COULD not be in compliance with the law - something YOU are responsible for - not the manufacturer. And the law could make it illegal to make such modifications. However - that is NOT a copyright issue. There is certainly more than one way to achieve law compliance - and you could certainly make modifications AND have your car still in compliance with the law.

As far as repairs or maintenance - this is simply a required part of ownership - and YOU have the right to choose the mechanic/auto repair shop of YOUR choice (including yourself) to make such repairs. A warranty cannot even require you to return to a dealer or particular service place UNLESS the service is FREE (Magnussen/Moss act).

So - this "claim" is stretching the "copyright" long beyond its intended use.

skytop - 4/23/2015 10:49:15 AM

+1 Boost

Can I change my air cleaner without fearing a law suit from my car manufacturer?

Holydude - 4/24/2015 1:25:24 AM

+1 Boost

Will never pass through Congress, relax guys...