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Modern EPA requirements mean that it is impossible to design a compliant off highway commercial vehicle without relying on advanced electronic process controls.

by agoetz 12y ago

Modern EPA requirements mean that it is impossible to design a compliant off highway commercial vehicle without relying on advanced electronic process controls. Your grandfather's tractor might be repairable with baling wire, but it also releases a ton more diesel particulates. http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/FR/media/pdf/8r_series/it4_45549_2011.pdf http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/FR/media/pdf/8r_se... There's no incentive for companies to publish information on their vehicle bus interfaces, since it would basically give away trade secrets to competitors.

CamperBob2 12y ago
The ironic thing is that failing to publish schematics and bus interfaces is nothing more than a temporary inconvenience to competitors, especially (but not limited to) the Chinese. They cloned a whole goddamn Apple store, they can clone your tractor. That's what they do. It does, however, encourage planned obsolescence by keeping you from maintaining your own out-of-warranty farm equipment.
MichaelGG 12y ago
The FBI was compromised for decades for under a quarter million dollars. It seems unbelievable to think that obfuscating the final delivered product is going to prevent serious competitors. It's not like selling $100K+ tractors only requires a website. It's as stupid as Nikon "encrypting" the white balance info in their raw files, requiring their client to get the data out. Did nothing but hurt customers, and make a few extra sales of their shoddy software. It's highly suspect to think such obfuscation is anything but a way to extract more money and exert more control over customers.
mojoB 12y ago
Not right now, but from 2018 manufacturers selling in Europe will have to provide information and tools to independent mechanics. http://cema-agri.org/publication/access-vehicle-repair-maintenance-information-rmi http://cema-agri.org/publication/access-vehicle-repair-maint...

by agoetz 12y ago

CamperBob2 12y ago

The ironic thing is that failing to publish schematics and bus interfaces is nothing more than a temporary inconvenience to competitors, especially (but not limited to) the Chinese. They cloned a whole goddamn Apple store, they can clone your tractor. That's what they do. It does, however, encourage planned obsolescence by keeping you from maintaining your own out-of-warranty farm equipment.

MichaelGG 12y ago

The FBI was compromised for decades for under a quarter million dollars. It seems unbelievable to think that obfuscating the final delivered product is going to prevent serious competitors. It's not like selling $100K+ tractors only requires a website. It's as stupid as Nikon "encrypting" the white balance info in their raw files, requiring their client to get the data out. Did nothing but hurt customers, and make a few extra sales of their shoddy software. It's highly suspect to think such obfuscation is anything but a way to extract more money and exert more control over customers.

mojoB 12y ago

Not right now, but from 2018 manufacturers selling in Europe will have to provide information and tools to independent mechanics. http://cema-agri.org/publication/access-vehicle-repair-maintenance-information-rmi http://cema-agri.org/publication/access-vehicle-repair-maint...