Once, car maintenance was a matter of mechanical skills, accessible to anyone with a wrench and some experience. Today, however, entering a service station has become a worship service before a software "altar" block, where any trivial manipulation is impossible without an authorized dealer scanner and a subscription to an online database. This is not just a feature, but a vicious business model that drastically increases the cost of operating modern cars and suffocates the independent service market.
The more electronics are poured into cars – from automatic headlights to complex security systems – the more dependent we become on the manufacturer. Even when replacing basic components, such as a battery or brake pads, the car now requires “training“ or “coding“, which can only be done with specialized software.
Diagnostics: The New Golden Ratio
The main problem lies in the centralized control of the on-board computer (ECU) and the communication network (CAN bus). Manufacturers deliberately make access to these systems difficult and expensive for independent repair shops.
Locked Functions: Many basic functions are “locked” behind specific dealer software. For example, after replacing the battery, the ECU must be “told“ that a new one has been installed in order to properly regulate charging and avoid damage. Without this “coding“, the new battery may have a significantly shorter life.
Expensive licenses: Independent repairers are forced to invest huge sums in the purchase of expensive multi-brand diagnostic tools and even more expensive subscriptions to access technical information, schematics and updates. These costs are ultimately passed directly to the customer.
Specialized software: Some brands require such specific software that even basic service outside an authorized repairer becomes economically unprofitable or technically impossible.
This way of working creates an effective monopoly for authorized dealers
Even the most experienced mechanic, who decades ago could fix any problem with minimal tools, is now powerless in the face of an error message that cannot be cleared or reset.
These “software shackles“ not only make life more expensive for the owner, but also reduce competition in the service market, which further raises prices. This is the sad truth about the modern car: it is designed not only to drive you, but also to tie you tightly to the manufacturer's expensive service network for its entire service life. The Right to Repair, which is struggling to penetrate other technological areas, is still a distant dream in the automotive world.