Source: Slashdot: Hardware
When Fisker's bankruptcy threatened to brick thousands of connected vehicles through server shutdowns, owners rallied around an open-source nonprofit that reverse-engineered the car's software to restore functionality. The episode exposes the fragility of proprietary connected hardware and establishes a precedent: as more devices embed proprietary software, manufacturers face pressure to support open alternatives when they cease operations. It directly challenges the automaker model where connectivity features serve as recurring revenue or product tiers. Permanent dependence on corporate infrastructure is proving to be a liability, not a strength, forcing manufacturers to reckon with the legal and commercial costs of planned obsolescence.