Understanding Hp Tuner credit and License

I just can't wrap my head around this Credit and License ordeal you have to go thru. Are these License required only as another way HP Tuner can charge you for using their software or does this have anything to do with the automobile manufacturers?

I know that with Fords you have to buy a subscription / license to use their factory software. I'm guessing anyone that uses open source tuning software uses this "pay toll" system.

Say I want to tune any and all domestic vehicles what would be the best way (quality) to go about this? Would it be to best to find a software supplier like HP Tuner, SCT, Diablo or buy the same equipment the manufacturer uses like I can with the Fords?

It has nothing to do with the manufacturer of the vehicle. It's just HP Tuners charging you money based on how many cars you tune.

The Ford factory software is just for service and diagnosis, not for tuning. You can't compare them directly.

I appreciate the answer. I have heard people talk about credits and not having enough to do particular vehicles etc. that seems kinda lame if you have all ready paid for the software.

I have always wondered if it’s possible to build a harness adapter so you could run a aftermarket ECU. Would that not be possible? The aftermarket ecu wouldn’t be looking for factory security systems and you could basically make everything on the CAN Bus work with the Aftermarket ECU, could you not?

I use to have a 2016 Dodge Scat Pack and would hear about how you have to unlock the ecu. Would it not be possible to just run the car with a Bosch or Motec system using factory harness?

Doesn’t AEM do this for some applications?

G'day Joshua.

Yes, its possible, and infact pretty common to run the OEM wiring harness with an aftermarket ECU. Many manufacturers sell plug in ecu's for lots of makes and models of vehicles. Rule of thumb is though, that the later model the vehicle the harder it is to replace the EFI ECU with an aftermarket version. Everything is so integrated these days, and with so many ECU's spread around the vehicle, all looking for data from one another, it can be really difficult to make sure every piece of data from the original OEM EFI ECU is replaced on the bus, and if anything is missing, all the other systems tend to get a bit pissed about it! It's one of the reasons reflashing has become so common.