Can they fix the power steering too then?
Ref: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/08/steering-failures-are-t...
Apparently it's a software problem.
Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
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Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#22I'm torn. On one hand, I absolutely think that a capability available in the vehicle/device when you purchased it should be available for you to use, and not behind a software lock (heated seats, etc). On the other hand, an "upgrade" or 100% new software delivered via OTA (self driving, etc) seems a little more like it should be a separate thing.
Does that mean all feature-gating iOS App Store IAP should be unlocked for iPhone owners?
Not interested in having a whataboutism discussion. There is a clear distinction here of software vs hardware
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#23Good. People who buy things should own the things they buy.
But they don't own the license to use the software (Full Self Driving). I agree with you about the heated seats though.
Haven’t we already been through this type of shit with EA?
Back in, I think it was bad company 2, EA delivered content on disk, but locked it behind a paywall. Then they got their wrists slapped for locking already available content behind a paywall.
Softlocking hardware that exists in the car (heated seats) behind a paywall seems to be the exact same thing, and is not legal everywhere.
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
But they don't own the license to use the software (Full Self Driving). I agree with you about the heated seats though.
Hmm, is the code already present? Would enabling it be putting unexpected load on Tesla's servers? If it's just a local feature (like the heated seats) that's shipped turned off, I'd say enabling it doesn't feel especially different to me (trusting it to drive you around of course is different).
Self driving has an ongoing cost to Tesla for them to keep it updated and to improving upon its performance.
It’s only a subscription because it doesn’t make financial sense to purchase it outright for $15k up-front (with a 6% interest rate, you’d need to own the car for 102 months to pay less than paying for the FSD subscription for those 102 months, and it costs more per month in your loan than the subscription https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSjfzhdfj0FU... )
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#25"Full Self-Driving ... will soon allow the car to steer on its own". April 6 2023 [1]
I think the hackers should have waited.
[1] https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/is-tesla-full-self-drivin...
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
But they don't own the license to use the software (Full Self Driving). I agree with you about the heated seats though.
I'm ok with charging subscription fees for services with ongoing costs (things like cell connectivity for remote monitoring or something), and I'm ok with charging one time fees for unlocking features that are already there, since it allows for price discrimination, cheaper and more efficient manufacturing, and better prices to the customer overall (potentially at least). But the flip side of that is that...if you pu…
> This kind of thing _should_ 100% be legal (if it isn't already, and my understanding is that it is).
It may fall afoul of the (terribly written, but still law) Section 1201 of the DMCA, if it's arguable that the circumvention provides access to computer software (and I think it is arguable).
I agree that this should be legal, but I'm not nearly as convinced that it is legal currently.
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#27Good. People who buy things should own the things they buy.
But they don't own the license to use the software (Full Self Driving). I agree with you about the heated seats though.
The entire concept of "intellectual property" is an attempted theft of our own physical property, and I for one don't appreciate it. I understand that my values on this don't align with much of the rest of the legal systems of the world, but the absurdity of intellectual property is never more clear than when some far away company attempts to assert ownership over something that you use every day.
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#28I'm torn. On one hand, I absolutely think that a capability available in the vehicle/device when you purchased it should be available for you to use, and not behind a software lock (heated seats, etc). On the other hand, an "upgrade" or 100% new software delivered via OTA (self driving, etc) seems a little more like it should be a separate thing.
This analogy/mental model of what things are when you purchase them breaks down for software. It’s less environmentally wasteful to build a single sku and unlock paid software features requiring teams of devs.
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#29Will be interesting to see how they did it. Using low cost off the shelf parts means nothing if you have to dismantle the entire car and solder to the tiniest of points. I still remember the first Xbox mod...30+ wires attached to the smallest of points on the motherboard.
Re: Hackers manage to unlock Tesla software-locked features
#30Good. People who buy things should own the things they buy.
Okay great, but now the lowest cost of the car is an extra $10k because the manufacturing just got a lot more complicated as a result of not being able to build every car the same way.