The automotive tuning industry is facing significant challenges due to government regulations and manufacturer efforts to prevent engine modification. The industry began with the use of EPROM chips in the 1970s, which allowed tuners to modify engine performance. However, with the introduction of flash memory chips, manufacturers began to use encryption to protect their intellectual property, making it more difficult for tuners to access and modify engine programming.
The Volkswagen emissions scandal in 2015 led to increased scrutiny of the tuning industry, with the EPA cracking down on emissions defeat devices. Manufacturers are now spending millions to develop unhackable ECU architecture, making it difficult for tuners to access and modify engine programming.
To comply with regulations, tuners and aftermarket parts makers must obtain a CARB EO number, which is a costly and time-consuming process. The future of tuning may rely on older, emissions-exempt vehicles, and traditional tuning methods using carburetors and distributors.
The industry is facing a decline, and enthusiasts are being forced to choose between complying with regulations or risking fines and penalties. The days of easy, commercially available tuning software may be behind us, but the community remains hopeful that a solution will be found to allow for continued innovation and modification of engines.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Combustion requires three ingredients: fuel, air, and ignition.
2. Tuners balance these three components to create more horsepower and torque.
3. The goal of tuning is to squeeze out every ounce of power that the OEM leaves on the table during the combustion cycle.
4. Tuning involves modifying the ignition advance, air-fuel ratio, and other parameters to optimize engine performance.
5. The air-fuel ratio (AFR) is critical in determining the performance of an engine.
6. Different fuels have different stoichiometric ratios, such as gasoline (14.7:1), E85 (9.7:1), and methanol (6.47:1).
7. Tuners use Lambda values to unify tuning between different fuels.
8. The ERASABLE Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM) chip was introduced in the 1970s and revolutionized engine tuning.
9. By 1979, EPROMs were used in engine management systems, such as Bosch's Motronic system.
10. The first tuning tools were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, using checksums to verify data integrity.
11. Encryption became the standard practice in the 2000s, making it harder for tuners to access engine management systems.
12. The Volkswagen emissions scandal in 2014 led to increased scrutiny of emissions defeat devices and stricter regulations.
13. The EPA can fine companies and individuals for violating the Clean Air Act, even if they are not intentionally trying to defeat emissions regulations.
14. To comply with emissions regulations, tuning companies can obtain a CARB EO number, which is a California Air Resources Board Executive Order.
15. Vehicles built before 1975 are smog exempt, and diesels made before 1997 are also exempt under California rules.
16. Carburetors and distributors may become the future of hobbyist tuning as modern ECUs become more secure and difficult to modify.
Note: I've excluded opinions and focused on extracting factual information from the text.