zlacker

Agreed, I think programming as a skill will follow a similar arc to automotive engineering.

Early on it was highly specialized, but from the 50s-80s it was generally expected that you knew how to maintain your car and would do the basic jobs yourself (oil, tires, maybe even filters). But now? A lot of people now would even call out AAA to change a wheel.

>>peterc+(OP)
Cheap tyre iron included with your vehicle vs nuts over-tightened with commercial pneumatic wrench ... it's not that unlikely that the tyre-iron breaks. If it doesn't you may be unable to loosen the nuts. It's pretty reasonable to call out a mechanic.

If you're doing anything complicated you have to wrangle the vehicle computer.

I expect you're right, computers will get more complex, more proprietary, less open, less likely to use open standards, companies will do more to prevent users adapting or repairing them.