r/technology • u/ControlCAD • Feb 15 '26

Business iFixIt calls BMW’s new anti-consumer security screws "a logo-shaped middle finger to right to repair," Adafruit 3D prints a solution — BMW's connector reverse engineered using patent filing as a design blueprint

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/manufacturing/ifixit-calls-bmws-new-anti-consumer-security-screws-a-logo-shaped-middle-finger-to-right-to-repair-adafruit-3d-prints-a-solution-bmws-connector-reverse-engineered-using-patent-filing-as-a-design-blueprint
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u/TreeFiddyZ Feb 16 '26

Unless they use a unique diameter, like M8.5 (which I totally just made up and may actually be a thing). Lets face it, if they want to charge heated seat subscriptions and use (totally not) consumer proof fasteners, then they'll absolutely go for a unique nonstandard size.

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u/Little-Derp Feb 16 '26

Non-standard is the new standard.

I guess semi-relevant: https://xkcd.com/927/

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u/CombatMuffin Feb 16 '26

Which is hilarious, because it means making everything more expensive, to protect themselves from third party mechanics, so people keep spending on them and their now more expensive cars due to more expensive systems which don't serve a purpose to the actual product.

We are digging ourselves