this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2023
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The law stops you. Open source just means that you can access the code and modify it. Open source does not mean that you have automatically met the legal requirements to certify that software for use on public roads. That would be an additional hurdle that any automotive software would have to pass. But, most legal systems are stone age compared to software development and any sufficiently new technology. Still, right to repair and open source does not mean that you can operate outside of regulations.
I believe the issue isn't one of laws, but enforcement. If a person is physically capable of modifying the code their cars runs and then operating it on a public road, then someone will, illegal or not. That is what puts the lives of others at risk. Hell, I can already imagine websites where you can download untested mods to apply to cars that people will apply with no knowledge of how it works.
You could say the same thing about literally any aftermarket modification.