Proprietary software doesn't stop people modifying software, it only slows them down.
And it doesn't slow people down anywhere near enough, hence all the talk about DRM, encryption, warranty voiding and anti-convention laws.
There is nothing wrong with allowing people to modify software, the issue is when people modify software to break laws (environmental law, in this case).
The solution is going to be some form of compliance certification/testing. The Manufacture provides the default software and gained a certification to prove it compiles with the laws. If the user wants to modify the software, they are going to have to prove that the replacement software also complies with the laws and get a certificate.
During annual vehicle inspections or licensing, they can check that certified software is installed. Or maybe the ECU's bootloader only allows certified software to be installed, unless a developer mode is enabled (which will require the owner to keep logs to ensure compliance)
And it doesn't slow people down anywhere near enough, hence all the talk about DRM, encryption, warranty voiding and anti-convention laws.
There is nothing wrong with allowing people to modify software, the issue is when people modify software to break laws (environmental law, in this case).
The solution is going to be some form of compliance certification/testing. The Manufacture provides the default software and gained a certification to prove it compiles with the laws. If the user wants to modify the software, they are going to have to prove that the replacement software also complies with the laws and get a certificate.
During annual vehicle inspections or licensing, they can check that certified software is installed. Or maybe the ECU's bootloader only allows certified software to be installed, unless a developer mode is enabled (which will require the owner to keep logs to ensure compliance)