[Metal_AF]

Have you guys seen this?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...sions-lockout/

How long until HP Tuners or the like follow suit?
##Edit - Adding the article text:
Cobb Tuning is one of the largest suppliers of tuning software and components for enthusiasts. But things have changed in a serious way over at Cobb as of April 18. As part of the brand's Project Green Speed initiative, Cobb has restricted access to specific engine tables and emissions-related systems via its Accesstuner software. R&T sat down with some industry experts to get to the bottom of this decision. Cobb Tuning customers no longer have the ability to modify anything related to a vehicle's "Emissions-Related Elements of Design" through the brand's Accesstuner software. This means that tuners can no longer modify or remove components like O2 sensors, Exhaust Gas Temperature sensors, EGR systems, or diagnostic trouble codes. The change also restricts the ability to modify the minimum and maximum values in an ECU's OBD test tables. Basically any changes that the EPA could regard as a "delete tune" have been hidden from all end users. This not only prevents people from making these changes in the future, but it also prevents someone with one of these tunes actively installed from making any adjustments. In fact, Cobb has already confirmed that they will not be offering support to any customer whose tune falls outside of the legal parameters defined in the Project Green Speed announcement. That's just about all Cobb has said, as the company is refusing to say any further at this time.

"At this moment, we prefer not to comment any further than what has been published," a Cobb Tuning representative told Road & Track. Part of that hushed approach might have something to do with the serious anger Cobb is facing right now. The decision to limit access in itself is worthy of some ire from customers, but there are some other extenuating factors at play here. Take the brand's flex-fuel kits, which have fallen victim to this new initiative's restrictions. These kits are tremendously popular among the boosted crowd, and were on sale just one month before this decision was announced. Cobb's partner shops were given 30 days of warning before the brand discontinued support. As you'd expect, this resulted in more than a few unhappy customers who had just purchased a kit that suddenly became worthless. Combine those folks with the number of people who rely on these flex-fuel kits to keep their machines on the road, and the situation is understandably hostile. Customers with these flex-fuel kits or other offending tunes will all be impacted somewhat differently depending on their state of tune. According to BRracing founder Bruce Todd, customers who already finalized their Cobb tunes will be able to continue using their vehicle without issue, though no further tweaks will be possible. That is where the folks who are either still writing or trying to adjust their tunes will be in real trouble. Depending on what state these owners live in, Todd did note that other handheld tuners do still retain edit functions for these specific emissions tables, but that might not be the case forever should the EPA continue to look to California for guidance.

Cobb Tuning knew that this sudden move wasn't going to be all sunshine and roses. The sheer amount of anger out there was entirely predictable, which should perhaps hint as to how important Cobb felt this move actually was. According to SEMA director of emissions compliance Peter Treydte, this move likely came as a result of legislative pressures being felt by Cobb and other tuning companies. Treydte noted that the EPA has become more active in pursuing the automotive aftermarket as of late, with the agency even highlighting that fact in its most recent National Compliance Initiatives.

That's the hard reality," said Treydte in an interview with R&T. "I think what it comes down to is the fact that we've lived in a scenario in this industry for a long time with little to no enforcement. That's allowed the industry to play in an arena that just hasn't been scrutinized. So now we're faced with the reality of enforcement being present, and some of those activities that we've become comfortable with being identified as violations of the law."

This move by Cobb Tuning wasn't made entirely in silence. Ahead of the implementation of the updated California smog requirements in 2021, Todd and his associates personally met with a number of tuning companies to discuss their plans moving forward. During a February 2021 rendezvous with Cobb, Todd was informed that the brand was making changes to move into compliance, and was given some guidance as to what that might look like.

"If a tuner or a product manufacturer is large enough that the market in California is important to them, and they're large enough to have the resources to commit an investment towards the California Air Resources Board process, to me that's a natural business decision to make," said Todd. "If you're a bit of a lesser tuner, your view might just be screw it, and you'll sell to the rest of the states and the rest of the world. At some point you're gonna see that head get cut off, but those guys are trying to bury their head in the sand and not deal with it."

Todd further noted that the change to the smog law has already levied a dramatic impact on the business of the aftermarket. Customers in California and similar states are now locked in to what amount to stage 1 tune setups, with people like Todd no longer able to build more individual setups based on customer desires. This obviously comes with a significant financial toll, as shops can legally sell fewer components than ever before in certain states. That financial toll even extends to owners of previously modified cars like Todd, whose VF-supercharged E46 BMW M3 is in a state of limbo, despite running the blower setup and tune for over a decade.

"The smog law decision went and rendered my $50,000 car non-compliant," said Todd. "I love my BMW M3 and now I'm completely screwed."

It isn't a leap to conclude that Cobb wants to get ahead of any sort of punitive action by regulators. That's already been made clear by the number of CARB EOs for other components that the brand has secured as of late. And while some people still might be frustrated by that line-towing stance, Cobb might actually be helping to protect their customers as well.

The reality of the Clean Air Act and the California vehicle code is that there is culpability or there is responsibility for emissions compliance at every level," said Treydte. "From the manufacturer to the distributor, to the retailer and the installer, right down to the end user. Everyone in that string is at risk of facing violations. The responsibility falls at every level. Whether those individual enthusiasts recognize the importance of being emissions compliant or not, Cobb has recognized that in order to remain viable, they have to be compliant."

Emissions compliance isn't the final death knell of a high-performance tune. There are tons of aftermarket companies, Cobb included, who offer packages that increase performance without skirting the EPA guidelines.

"I think the message for the end users is this: we're enthusiasts as well" said Treydte. "We want other enthusiasts to be able to have those options available to them, but as long as the law restricts that software capability, we don't have many options to work within. I think that we need people to be aware that compliance doesn't mean a lack of power or performance. Compliance can be achieved with not only great horsepower figures, but also good fuel economy and reliability as well."

That said, enthusiasts might have to adjust their frame of thinking a bit to come to terms with what more performance means in reality. More specifically, we might have to draw clearer lines between road cars and off-highway vehicles. Treydte understands that there is a legitimate use for racing-grade components, and even noted that the Cobb Accesstuner is one of those tools. That said, Cobb has a difficult path ahead in terms of figuring out how to sell the fully unlocked software again. This sort of thing would likely have to be sold exclusively to shops, with some form of guarantee that the software tool would only be used for off-road vehicles. Cobb may have corrected a bit too far with this action then, but Treydte expects some backswing to take place.

"It is a balancing act," said Treydte. "Cobb needs to take certain action to continue to be viable and continue to exist in the legislative environment we live in."

So while the collective anger with Cobb Tuning is justified by the brand's lack of communication and clarity since April 18, both experts we spoke to saw the move as a likely inevitability. The entire automotive world is in the midst of a paradigm shift, with the legislators' tolerance for polluting internal combustion growing ever smaller. The entire industry can learn from this whole mess, and hopefully we'll come away being a bit more transparent about the future. Either way, the aftermarket industry has a tough stretch ahead. Tuning isn't going to go anywhere, but the ways in which it's done might not look the same forever.

[Gunkk]

Story is locked behind a paywall. Got a TL/DR?

[Mark114]

The web link worked for me. Here is the beginning of the article.

Cobb Tuning is one of the largest suppliers of tuning software and components for enthusiasts. But things have changed in a serious way over at Cobb as of April 18. As part of the brand’s Project Green Speed initiative, Cobb has restricted access to specific engine tables and emissions-related systems via its Accesstuner software. R&T sat down with some industry experts to get to the bottom of this decision.

Cobb Tuning customers no longer have the ability to modify anything related to a vehicle’s “Emissions-Related Elements of Design” through the brand’s Accesstuner software. This means that tuners can no longer modify or remove components like O2 sensors, Exhaust Gas Temperature sensors, EGR systems, or diagnostic trouble codes. The change also restricts the ability to modify the minimum and maximum values in an ECU’s OBD test tables. Basically any changes that the EPA could regard as a “delete tune” have been hidden from all end users. This not only prevents people from making these changes in the future, but it also prevents someone with one of these tunes actively installed from making any adjustments. In fact, Cobb has already confirmed that they will not be offering support to any customer whose tune falls outside of the legal parameters defined in the Project Green Speed announcement. That’s just about all Cobb has said, as the company is refusing to say any further at this time.

“At this moment, we prefer not to comment any further than what has been published,” a Cobb Tuning representative told Road & Track.

[Blueclyde]

This aftermarket segment is on the radar of the compliance and enforcement groups at EPA and CARB. The fines for the violations that have occurred in the aftermarket segment over the past 15 years would be staggering for any of these aftermarket companies. Enforcement is ramping up and companies are getting cease and desist letters along with fines. It’s a matter of time before this segment starts to comply with regulations.

[Chrome383Z]

Moral of the story, If you don’t have it already get HP tuners and current software. And don’t allow updates.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Chrome383Z

Moral of the story, If you don’t have it already get HP tuners and current software. And don’t allow updates.

This could turn out to be sage advice…

If someone was really smart, they’d start a tuning company based in another country, then sell tuning to Americans…

[BlaqWhole]

Even the reporting article is locked out. Geez...

[Mac7504]

**** carb and **** the epa

[BlaqWhole]

Is it possible that a good tuner can squeeze more performance out of our cars AND remain legal and within the boundaries of Federal laws? I mean, why do things have to be done illegally in the first place. Sure it was the way to do things in the past. But why can't tuners just do things the legal way? We have HF cats that can support 1200+ RWHP these days. And there are plenty of cars making crazy HP legally and even at that, they're making much faster and faster cars legally. So why is everyone soo stuck on the old silly illegal ways of doing things without even considering that we might be able to make the same or better performance legally? Not for nothin but companies like Roush, SLP, Calloway, Lingenfelter, and many others have been doing things this way for a long time. Even dealerships like LFP and others have been offering fully legal full warrantied brand new 700+ HP supercharged GTs for years. It can be done properly.

In any case, my ZL1 is already tuned to where I want it. I could go for more performance with more displacement and boost, but at this point it's not even worth it. My tuner/builder can get my GT500 to some pretty decent numbers while keeping it legal. My HC has the stock cats but I can get HF cats and LTs and squeeze a little more out of it. So none of this really bothers me too much.

[Mac7504]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

Is it possible that a good tuner can squeeze more performance out of our cars AND remain legal and within the boundaries of Federal laws? I mean, why do things have to be done illegally in the first place. Sure it was the way to do things in the past. But why can't tuners just do things the legal way? We have HF cats that can support 1200+ RWHP these days. And there are plenty of cars making crazy HP legally and even at that, they're making much faster and faster cars legally. So why is everyone soo stuck on the old silly illegal ways of doing things without even considering that we might be able to make the same or better performance legally? Not for nothin but companies like Roush, SLP, Calloway, Lingenfelter, and many others have been doing things this way for a long time. Even dealerships like LFP and others have been offering fully legal full warrantied brand new 700+ HP supercharged GTs for years. It can be done properly.

In any case, my ZL1 is already tuned to where I want it. I could go for more performance with more displacement and boost, but at this point it's not even worth it. My tuner/builder can get my GT500 to some pretty decent numbers while keeping it legal. My HC has the stock cats but I can get HF cats and LTs and squeeze a little more out of it. So none of this really bothers me too much.

Tightening regs man. It's the reason why the STI and in the 2 wheeled world, the Yamaha R6 are done. High flows do not remove nearly as much hydrocarbons as standard factor cats, which is why they are much cheaper. They do not contain nearly enough of the "precious" metals to do the job. At least this is what was explained to me when I asked a similar question years ago. Here in CA, it's gotten so bad that even if a tune passed smog, it fails if not approved by carb with an e.o. number.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by Mac7504

Tightening regs man. It's the reason why the STI and in the 2 wheeled world, the Yamaha R6 are done. High flows do not remove nearly as much hydrocarbons as standard factor cats, which is why they are much cheaper. They do not contain nearly enough of the "precious" metals to do the job. At least this is what was explained to me when I asked a similar question years ago. Here in CA, it's gotten so bad that even if a tune passed smog, it fails if not approved by carb with an e.o. number.

You could have an OEM cat' from another car (like a truck, let's say) on your Camaro, and the cat' still be 100% functional, and it would still FAIL smog... It is complete BS. This state is the absolute worst.

Car people are treated worse than criminals. They are assumed innocent, and the prosecutor has to prove guilt. Not us though. The smog techs'/referees don't have to prove anything. We have to show it all = CARB exemptions and the like.

[Mac7504]

Originally Posted by radz28

You could have an OEM cat' from another car (like a truck, let's say) on your Camaro, and the cat' still be 100% functional, and it would still FAIL smog... It is complete BS. This state is the absolute worst.

Car people are treated worse than criminals. They are assumed innocent, and the prosecutor has to prove guilt. Not us though. The smog techs'/referees don't have to prove anything. We have to show it all = CARB exemptions and the like.

It's disgusting how limited we are without having to do work arounds or know a guy.

If my family and friends weren't here I'd be so out of here in a heartbeat. The politics kills it for me.

[Chrome383Z]

What’s crazy is I’m not really sure why these laws exist today. You would think the amount of money spent by the state is such a waste.

People just don’t mod their cars anymore, we are a very small subset of a small subset of folks. Hell and I put the GESI Gen 2s on mine more for the smell then any care of emissions. But regardless.

99% of people these days don’t even know what a catalytic converter is.

[Revalot]

Search Cobb tuning EPA, The drive has a open article.