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US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

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Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#161
post #149

My experience is that eBay screws up their filters and wayyy overfilters. The Canadian government has some secret spat with Xiaomi cellphones and got eBay, newegg and Amazon to stop their sale. They weren’t approved for sale in Canada, but I suspect some other reasoning for targeting a Chinese manufacturer in particular and not all the other unapproved products. However, eBay just blocked anything with “xiaomi” in th…

The Canadian government “secret spat” doesn’t seem so secret. Xiaomi stuff is laced with various levels of spyware. There’s also tech relations issues due to huawei shenanigans and back doors.

*citation needed

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#162

Emissions tests are a poverty tax that play a strong role in punishing people trying to buy affordable old cars and either pushing the demand curve for new cars, or pushing poor people into illegality or carlessness.

Literally. I'm sure the purpose of all these regulations (including the EU banning petrol cars) is that in a few decades poor people won't allowed to drive their own cars.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#163
I am very annoyed by the decision of the EPA to start cracking down, because it's made it impossible to import parts for my track/race cars, even though it's completely legal to do so. Like many things, the market for enthusiasts supported availability and reasonable pricing for the more hardcore enthusiasts.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#164
post #148

My experience is that eBay screws up their filters and wayyy overfilters. The Canadian government has some secret spat with Xiaomi cellphones and got eBay, newegg and Amazon to stop their sale. They weren’t approved for sale in Canada, but I suspect some other reasoning for targeting a Chinese manufacturer in particular and not all the other unapproved products. However, eBay just blocked anything with “xiaomi” in th…

Maybe they're under a different name, but I don't see any Xiaomi phones on the REL, so I'd guess the ‘secret spat’ is lack of RF certification.

I’m still trying to get the gov to cough up the documents, but funny how the gov didn’t tell our telecoms to ban them from roaming on our cellular networks. Nor identify domestic users that imported them and put on a transition plan to get them off our networks.

If they’re actually so harmful to public health.

Though I wonder if our telecoms were behind this; they prefer you to buy your device from them.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#165
post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention good old fashioned overpowered unfocused led lighting. Its been a meme with the truck bros for years, but now these products have entered the general lighting supply. Now your landlord replaces the garage light with one thats brighter than the sun and shines into your bedroom. You will end up like Kramer in the chicken roaster episode of Seinfeld .

Say what you will about over-engineering, but the Germans got it so so so right with their metal full black out shades.

I'd prefer to just have less outdoor light since blocking out all outdoor light also blocks out sunlight which can mess up your circadian rhythms.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#166

My understanding is that such parts are not by themselves illegal. The crime is actually using them on the road. My understanding was that they were legal for track purposes. I would never want to say that people should be able to defeat emissions, but a part of me does not like the idea that every vehicle owner is beholden to the OEM for parts in perpetuity. The "right to repair" people should be all over this fight…

My understanding is that such parts are not by themselves illegal.

The relevant text regulating the sale and manufacture merely allows the EPA to exempt products "that you intend to be used solely for competition, where we determine that such engines/equipment are unlikely to be used contrary to your intent."

> but a part of me does not like the idea that every vehicle owner is beholden to the OEM for parts in perpetuity.

I don't think the regulation requires OEM parts, Dorman and MagnaFlow sell bolt-on Catalytic converters without any trouble from the EPA. I think there is a real problem when it comes to more complex parts like ECUs but right to repair laws can help solve that by requiring documentation and restricting arbitrary locks of electronic components.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-U...

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#167
post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. More so for loud motorcycles, since cops tend to also own them.

I am in favor of louder pipes for motorcycles for safety reasons. But there is such a thing as too loud.

not sure the safety argument has factual support; the sound would need to project forward from the motorcycle, wouldn't it?

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#168
post #142

Does author of this article https://www.thedrive.com/author/chris-rosales "focused on the technical side" "Previous work experience: GTChannel, track day photography, drifting coverage, and odd jobs. Once worked in an Italian restaurant" "AA-T in Communications" really think Hondata is being used to skirt emissions and is the aim of DOJ action? Reuters news piece is cited verbatim except for the important part: >The…

Additional issue I see there is the customers are being ripped off. $1500 for a device that can only do specific programming sets and depends on remote access? I think they are taking people to the bank on cheap devices. This seems like something that could be done on a $100 general purpose OBD device.

On newer vehicles I would expect it to be possible to upgrade the infotainment system to have all this built in to change on demand. Fuel efficiency mode. Smog inspection mode shout-out to VW. Whistlin Diesel Mode For rollin coal and melting tires. All of this should be an open source USB image file that also strips out any remote telemetry and remote control capabilities from the vehicle and unlocks all subscription services giving ownership back to the owner.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#169
post #149

My experience is that eBay screws up their filters and wayyy overfilters. The Canadian government has some secret spat with Xiaomi cellphones and got eBay, newegg and Amazon to stop their sale. They weren’t approved for sale in Canada, but I suspect some other reasoning for targeting a Chinese manufacturer in particular and not all the other unapproved products. However, eBay just blocked anything with “xiaomi” in th…

The Canadian government “secret spat” doesn’t seem so secret. Xiaomi stuff is laced with various levels of spyware. There’s also tech relations issues due to huawei shenanigans and back doors.

So are iPhones and US Android phones, but I guess when it’s a “partner” country’s corporations doing the spying, that makes it okay.

Re: US sues eBay for allowing sale of emissions defeat devices

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your municipality likely has noise ordinances for anything above a certain decibel level. This can be handled by your local PD giving them tickets for their exhausts. I’ve seen it done before. If they keep getting tickets/fines they will likely change their exhausts. You can probably call the city about it but you can also call the cops. Just remember what they say about snitches.

I have never heard of a municipality actually enforcing their sound regulations other than live performances being shut down.

Grow up with alcoholic parent who loves to max out their high wattage sound system at 3am all the time and you’ll see it enforced often. Most house parties are shutdown due to noise complaints.
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