Yep. Like you don’t buy software anymore, but “rent” it (SAAS, software as a service).
Even cars with mandated OBD tek, you have the generic standard codes, but also mfr-specific codes that your corner mechanic doesn’t have access to (“proprietary”). There was some fight about that, not quite sure how it all shook out.
I was annoyed with the TPMS system on my car, because you rotate the tires and it doesn’t get clued in as to which tire is which unless you “relearn” it. Slightly older model-year, you used to be able to bap the DIC, it honks the horn, then you go around the car and lower the air-pressure one by one so it knows which tire is which. Then in newer cars you “had to” get a… crap, can’t recall the name of it… the GM diagnostic doodad for a few hunnert bux. But, aha, I only later found that there are cheap (15-20bux) TPMS relearn tools that do that for you, just hold it next to the tire to make the sensor squeal like a pig, and the ’puter then reads which one is which by which one’s doing the squealing.
And yeah, I know the big fight, at least with Deere, about simple stoopit sensor failures, that cost the farmer bigtime. Not only the fees to the roving tech who might get to it in a week or three (reminiscent of the circuit-court judges in old-timey westerns), but also the down-time all that time while the equipment’s out of commission. A shade-tree mechanic could’ve/would’ve diagnosed the problem, bought a new sensor, and had it popped in and the equipment back in service in a day or less.
Thankfully only once, I had the infotainment screen just show the frame (border, edges, dividers, etc.), but not the data. Wtf?? The buttons all worked to turn the heat up, but I couldn’t see what #degrees it would be set to, or the time, outside temp, nothing. Next time I started the car it was fine. Again, wtf?
After learning the layout of the panel, I could go for the recirc button, AC button, fan speed, etc., just fine. Thankfully those weren’t (yet) integrated to touchscreen functions. But forget about playing t00nz, because all those controls were via the pushwheel.
(Wonder if Beamers still have iDrive. Heard that was loathed by quite many.)