This is really a clear place for robust regulation. No company has a genuine incentive to ever give up proprietary designs in the current environment, even for devices they no longer sell or support. Places that do are going against the grain of investment capital, and their commitments are often broken when they are acquired
I think a simple rule could easily suffice here:
All firmware and schematics must be made available to regulatory agencies to put a device containing a digital computer on the market at all. That info can be sealed until a device is no longer sold, except for devices that need to meet higher safety standards (cars, medical devices, some kinds of home automation, definitely anything operating heavy machinery or infrastructure), in which case this is made publicly available as soon as the device goes to market
Also, repeal DMCA 1201 in its entirety. The government has no obligation to protect business models with the force of the state
We already enforce safety and environmental standards on manufactured products. This is a no-brainer
I think a simple rule could easily suffice here:
All firmware and schematics must be made available to regulatory agencies to put a device containing a digital computer on the market at all. That info can be sealed until a device is no longer sold, except for devices that need to meet higher safety standards (cars, medical devices, some kinds of home automation, definitely anything operating heavy machinery or infrastructure), in which case this is made publicly available as soon as the device goes to market
Also, repeal DMCA 1201 in its entirety. The government has no obligation to protect business models with the force of the state
We already enforce safety and environmental standards on manufactured products. This is a no-brainer