So we’ve gotten to the Gibson “high tech low life” stage officially.
“Case picked up the powertrain control module from the table and nodded at the fence across the table…”
Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
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Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#22Firefighting is one of those absolutely basic parts of civilization who's importance is obvious to everyone. If people are robbing firefighters then social cohesion is completely dead.
I think the article is on Frieghtliners not firefighting trucks. But robbery is still absolutely an issue.
Best I can think of is that parent commenter was referring to the fact that many fire and EMS vehicles use a Freightliner chassis/engine?
Our fire department needs a new ambulance. There is a two year waiting list for one.
The ineptitude of the automotive industry in dragging its heels relying on outdated semiconductor manufacturing is just mind-boggling, but so is the lack of action by the administration to order prioritizing parts and vehicles for public safety, followed by cargo and mass passenger transportation.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#23I have to wonder if this is one of those somewhat "implanted" stories to get support for moving towards John Deere style DRM on some of their parts. That is, not that it's made up, but that perhaps the scale is being exaggerated a bit. Edit: Yes, I'm aware there's some DRM. So far, though, not as locked down as the example of John Deere, cryptographic control that requires phone-home, etc.
Didn't think of that angle, but perhaps! Pretty much everything in transportation is being pushed in the direction of centralized control; hence, the focus on EVs and the push against biofuels. The marketing is all "climate change", but the reality is that biofuel-based vehicles can, in theory, be manufactured locally with machine tools, and the fuel can be grown locally as well. I'd bet money that they're better for…
On the other hand, any electric car can be charged from solar panels on your roof.
Then there's Aptera, which can charge itself from the sun if you're in a reasonably sunny area, and which has a strong commitment to right-to-repair: https://aptera.us/right-to-repair-commitment-feat-rich-rebui...
They also make their own battery packs, despite not exactly being a large operation. https://aptera.us/battery-update/
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#24I have to wonder if this is one of those somewhat "implanted" stories to get support for moving towards John Deere style DRM on some of their parts. That is, not that it's made up, but that perhaps the scale is being exaggerated a bit. Edit: Yes, I'm aware there's some DRM. So far, though, not as locked down as the example of John Deere, cryptographic control that requires phone-home, etc.
Didn't think of that angle, but perhaps! Pretty much everything in transportation is being pushed in the direction of centralized control; hence, the focus on EVs and the push against biofuels. The marketing is all "climate change", but the reality is that biofuel-based vehicles can, in theory, be manufactured locally with machine tools, and the fuel can be grown locally as well. I'd bet money that they're better for…
> biofuel-based vehicles can, in theory, be manufactured locally with machine tools
The excellent thing about electricity is that it's fungible. Electricity from a wind farm in the North Sea, a nuclear plant in the South of France or a Texan solar panel is identical as far as the electric vehicle is concerned. In contrast with bio-fuels if you can't make the right chemical soup for this specific model of engine well too bad, buy a new engine or undertake expensive conversion.
There are immediate practical advantages (many EV owners never spend any time putting "fuel" into their vehicle, unlike with ICE, since just charging it whenever it's sat around doing nothing is easy with electricity) but there are also large strategic advantages in terms of energy independence.
To get even the poor efficiency of modern internal combustion engines took a lot of careful engineering which would be undone by your "local machine tools" approach, so that makes the bargain even worse. In contrast it's easy to build high efficiency electric motors, and we've been doing that in many applications for years.
To the extent the answer isn't EVs that's because the answer is less car culture.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
Always a few bad apples. Probably the same people stealing catalytic converters
Please rethink using "bad apples" in this context in the future. The saying about bad apples is a warning about the corrupting influence of a single corrupt person on a group. It's always confused me, too. You don't leave rotten apples in your fruit bowl.
I’ve given this quite a bit of thought recently because, well…
The common usage of “a few bad apples” has changed to mean the group isn’t responsible, as a whole, for the actions of a few instead of the old warning about removing the bad ones before they corrupt the bunch.
Like during the “peaceful” protests a couple years ago. It was the “bad apples” who were burning police cars and looting stores, the group has no responsibility for their actions.
Not so for the Capital Insurrection though. They don’t get to claim “a few bad apples” and the people who were there to peacefully protest and merely held up a sign on the lawn were equally as guilty as the ones who entered the capital to forcefully stop the election results.
Double standard really.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#26> The company will consider civil actions for software infringement against those involved in CPC theft and mismanagement.
Or they could try to fix their firmware so this stupid truck didn’t actively try to kill me on a regular basis. Just sayin, freightliner.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#27I have to wonder if this is one of those somewhat "implanted" stories to get support for moving towards John Deere style DRM on some of their parts. That is, not that it's made up, but that perhaps the scale is being exaggerated a bit. Edit: Yes, I'm aware there's some DRM. So far, though, not as locked down as the example of John Deere, cryptographic control that requires phone-home, etc.
The article implies the control units are coded to the vehicle's VIN at least to some degree and mentions Freightliner asks people to look out for logged errors indicating someone attempted to use a control unit from a different VIN. There's also mention of a separate password function. However, if there's a market for these units, someone's likely developed a tool to "re code" the control units. But: "Moving toward"…
When that server gets shut off
If the vehicles are popular enough, the aftermarket will probably find a way around it, if it hasn't already done so.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#28I have to wonder if this is one of those somewhat "implanted" stories to get support for moving towards John Deere style DRM on some of their parts. That is, not that it's made up, but that perhaps the scale is being exaggerated a bit. Edit: Yes, I'm aware there's some DRM. So far, though, not as locked down as the example of John Deere, cryptographic control that requires phone-home, etc.
The article makes it sound like they are VIN locked already (the control software will in any case need to be for the actual powertrain components).
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Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Didn't think of that angle, but perhaps! Pretty much everything in transportation is being pushed in the direction of centralized control; hence, the focus on EVs and the push against biofuels. The marketing is all "climate change", but the reality is that biofuel-based vehicles can, in theory, be manufactured locally with machine tools, and the fuel can be grown locally as well. I'd bet money that they're better for…
> biofuel-based vehicles can, in theory, be manufactured locally with machine tools The excellent thing about electricity is that it's fungible . Electricity from a wind farm in the North Sea, a nuclear plant in the South of France or a Texan solar panel is identical as far as the electric vehicle is concerned. In contrast with bio-fuels if you can't make the right chemical soup for this specific model of engine well…
In contrast with bio-fuels if you can't make the right chemical soup for this specific model of engine well too bad, buy a new engine or undertake expensive conversion
Something like biodiesel is almost entirely a drop-in replacement, and diesel engines will burn a wide range of flammable liquids. Gasoline engines can be fairly easily converted to burn a bunch of other fuels too.
Re: Rash of parts thefts is leaving Freightliner trucks inoperable
#30I have to wonder if this is one of those somewhat "implanted" stories to get support for moving towards John Deere style DRM on some of their parts. That is, not that it's made up, but that perhaps the scale is being exaggerated a bit. Edit: Yes, I'm aware there's some DRM. So far, though, not as locked down as the example of John Deere, cryptographic control that requires phone-home, etc.
They have to be mostly open because someone getting a truck repaired is pretty likely to be in the middle of bumfuck Kansas and needs the truck moving right now so they don’t take a claim on a multi-$100k load.
I’m sitting in one of our terminals right now and there a lot more trucks than usual that are (maybe) waiting on parts to get back on the road. A lot of money tied up in those things not generating revenue parked in the yard.