raan@hp-pcd.UUCP (05/12/84)
It should be possible, using hybrid boards and eaprom memory, to build a system which is almost completely immune to power problems and tampering. I would expect an electronic system to be more secure than the mechanical ones. I don't know whether this is actually the case. Raan Young
wmartin@brl-vgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (05/14/84)
Local TV stations' news features have been dwelling on the "odometer rollback" issue lately, for some reason. This, combined with a description of the electronic display on a luxury car in last weekend's "Motorweek" program on PBS, inspires this inquiry. For cars with electronic odometer displays, is there a mechanical backup unit somewhere in the car for security and verification of the electronic reading? After all, can't the electronic reading be changed by reprogramming or replacing the memory of the onboard microprocessor, or even by current surges or power-supply glitches? Of course, the "rollback wizards" can easily alter the mechanical unit, but it leaves some detectable traces when they do (scratches, marks, etc.) -- even this is gone with the electronic version. Will
an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (05/15/84)
-- Some newer (gizmo-laden) motorcycles have electronic speedos, tachs, and tripmeters. All of them still have mechanical odometers. Au
jcz@ncsu.UUCP (John Carl Zeigler) (05/15/84)
<> I may be wrong, but aren't cars REQUIRED to have a mechanical odometer? I looked at a '84 corvette and it had a mechanical odometer in with all the electronic instrumentation. It looked kinda out-of-place.
jackh@zehntel.UUCP (jack hagerty) (05/17/84)
My parents have an '82 Imperial with the all-electronic instruments. The instrument cluster has been chronically unreliable and they are currently on their third set. Each time the cluster was replaced the odometer started over again at zero. I don't know if this proceedure requires documentation on the part of the dealer (or whatever mechanic does the work). If it does, it must be getting pretty messy by now! -- Jack Hagerty ihnp4!zehntel!jackh
piety@hplabs.UUCP (Bob Piety) (05/21/84)
PIECE OF CAKE! Just store a verification copy of the mileage in encrypted form, perhaps using a public-key system with the vehicles serial number as one of the keys. No fuss-- No muss! Bob