Anyone Else Get the SCT Advantage Email?

SecondhandSnake

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I recently got my first notification from SCT following the EPA settlement. It reads-

Dear Advantage licensees,

In accordance with our Consent Decree with the EPA, effective January 2, 2019, we will implement tiered access for dealers using our Advantage Tuning Software. Prior to this, you will be required to complete our Customer Verification and Training Programs to continue to have access to parameters in Advantage after that date.

There are two steps you will have to take in order to continue to access Advantage software after January 2nd:

1. Verification. In the coming days, you will receive an email inviting you to fill out a 5 minute survey through our Learning Management System. Click the link in the email to complete the questions.

2. Training. Following your verification, we will send you an email to complete the Customer Training Program. This 30 minute self-directed training involves reading a presentation and taking a short quiz to confirm your knowledge of the covered topics. You will need to score 100%, but you may take the quiz as many times as necessary.

If you complete the Customer Verification and Training Programs before January 2nd, you will continue your access to Advantage without issue. Based on your responses, the only change you may experience after that date will be the level of parameters you will be permitted to access.

We will be limiting parameter access after January 2nd in accordance with our consent decree.

  • Tier 1 – "Professional"
    Parameters such as Tire Size, Axle Ratio, Shift Patterns, and other Transmission Controls. Those that have no effect on emissions.
  • Tier 2 – "Calibrator"
    Fueling, Timing and other Engine Controls which, upon review, have a legitimate use when calibrating a street vehicle but may have an effect on emissions.
  • Tier 3 – "Research and Development" (R&D)
    Parameters which directly affect emissions/diagnostics controls and do not have a legitimate use when calibrating a street vehicle.
  • Note: This will not affect any user defined parameters or value files.
We are always available to answer any questions. Please contact our Customer Success Team at any time. In the meantime, below are answers to FAQs you may have:

Q: How does this affect my Advantage software?

A: Advantage software does not change. In accordance to our Consent Decree with EPA, we have to limit access to certain parameters and determine that access for each dealer based on their expressed required use of Advantage.


Q: What will be done with my personal information?

A: By completing the Customer Verification and Training Programs, you qualify to have your information kept private. We will not release your personal information to EPA. We will only use your personal information as an internal record of your completion of the programs and to ensure you are given the correct level of access to Advantage parameters.


Q: When does this information need to be submitted by?

A: You must finish the Customer Verification and Training Programs by January 2, 2019 to see the least impact on your current Advantage Support.



Derive Systems is committed to providing the best custom tuning software to our dealers while we work in accordance with our Consent Decree. We look forward to your continued business.


I do not have a great feeling about this. I don't quite believe that personal information won't make it's way to the EPA or other entities like the DOT, at least based on my experience with the diesel tuning fiasco a few years ago. I also have the sneaking suspicion that most of us are going to fall into the category of "Tier 1" to make the EPA happy where we have little to no functionality for the product we purchased. Don't like it? Well since it's a licensed application you don't have a choice. It's not like you can just avoid an update.
 

Weather Man

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This is one factor I weighed when purchasing my AEM setup. I can't see many spending that kind of money if the day comes, the writing is on the wall with handheld reflash programmers. We get a "D" administration, and it will be grim I think, look what the last one tried to pull. Enjoy the golden age of tuning while you can boys.
 

HISSMAN

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I just looked at the request quickly, but basically I will have the same options to play around with as any schmo with a handheld tuner right out of the package. Not what I paid for, and I understand why they have to do this, but it's still not cool business. They should at least offer a partial refund since most of us won't have access to what we paid for.
 

SecondhandSnake

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Yeah I'm not too happy that something I paid for is now rendered useless, and I'm going to have to plunk down more money to start over again. Then I have to hope whatever software I choose next doesn't get hit in the next round of EPA whack-a-mole. The standalone stuff is big money up front, but they shouldn't be able to totally brick it like this.
 

DSG2003Mach1

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I never even really got to use mine when my build snowballed beyond what I was comfortable trying to learn on. Might have to look into moates quarter horse (sp?) and stuff for other projects
 

Revvv

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Wouldn't the easy solution to this be to NOT update the software? You will lose Derive / SCT support, but if they are limiting the ability to access needed pera meters on the computer they are useless anyway.

I wonder how this will affect personal owners of the SCT software that are private racers? When I ran bikes I tweaked my tune for each track. That is what test and tune and qualifications were for. I was able to collect data and then adjust A/F ratio, spark, etc to match elevation and weather changes.

If you cannot use the software to access 100% of the vehicle's computer, it's worthless.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

Curt@injected

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SCT has been going down the tube for a while now. Really since Jerry split. Their pricing for dealers is astronomical and they are getting their asses handed to them by hptuners on the development front.
 

DSG2003Mach1

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Wouldn't the easy solution to this be to NOT update the software? You will lose Derive / SCT support, but if they are limiting the ability to access needed pera meters on the computer they are useless anyway.

I wonder how this will affect personal owners of the SCT software that are private racers? When I ran bikes I tweaked my tune for each track. That is what test and tune and qualifications were for. I was able to collect data and then adjust A/F ratio, spark, etc to match elevation and weather changes.

If you cannot use the software to access 100% of the vehicle's computer, it's worthless.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Im going to guess you wont have a choice unless you make sure the tuner and laptop never get a wifi connection while using them.
 

Revvv

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The dongle thing makes it kind of difficult.
The dongle is just a license. It should be fine without any Internet. The same applies to my studio software. I have to have a dongle that is licensed to use. If I update, great. If I never update, it doesn't care. The license matches the computer and everything is happy.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

BigPoppa

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Their onboarding requirements were too restrictive when I sought to become an authorized tuner through them so I chose to pass on offering their products.

Good luck to them, though.

HP Tuners and Ferraro Speed have been more than supportive in helping me develop the business so I've chosen to exclusively only carry NGauge and HP Tuners tuning support.
 

BigPoppa

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I can't believe people still use Jet chips....

I remember back in the 90's, they got called out for selling "upgraded" Dodge Neon PCMs that were nothing but stock calibrations. Took them off the market shortly thereafter....
 

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