Why Renting Software Is a Dangerous Game

Software is never a temporary feature, especially in the fast-moving world of embedded systems. In industries like automotive, software is at the core of the product’s function, but time and time again, companies treat it like a short-term asset. It’s a common practice to license third-party components without proper planning for long-term ownership of the software.

But fast-forward 15 years and it is a situation ripe for disaster. The vendor might not exist anymore, or could be acquired and fully disassembled for parts. Then what? How can a car with unmaintained software stay on the road safely? It’s a dangerous game to rent your software. The best way to guarantee long-term maintainability? You have to own it.

Ownership = Control, Not Just IP

In software, ownership isn’t just about having intellectual property and rights to the product. When licensing software without access to the source code or perpetual rights, you have essentially put a timer on your product. Think about it: You are placing your bets that the vendor will (1) still be around, (2) be willing to support you, and (3) still be selling the same or a compatible version of the software 15 years down the line.

In other instances where projects are taking a longer time in the development phase, you also face the possibility of the vendor no longer existing when your product is ready to go to market. The vendor could get acquired by a competitor who refuses to license or support the product you’re hoping to back. Without access to the source code, you’re forced to go back to the drawing board to re-engineer.

15 Years Later

Focusing on the automotive world, many of the large markets legally oblige car manufacturers to support their software for 10 years after the last unit rolls off the production line. Considering development, certification, and testing time, these 10 years might turn into a 20-year timeline for full cybersecurity support.

Imagine when year 12 comes around, and your product faces a critical security vulnerability. The problem: you don’t own the software, and the vendor refuses to cooperate. What comes next? You can’t patch or rebuild and could even be forced to re-engineer the entire ECU. This includes changing the different hardware components to accommodate for the new OS. You’re looking at a product recall-level issue or, worse, having no option to buy back the remaining fleet.

With inflation, the cost of fixing or rebuilding these systems years later would also be considerably higher than if you had control from the start. Ownership doesn’t just mitigate risk but addresses cost predictability in the long term.

The Toolchain

Another often-overlooked risk is development tooling. You might license a proprietary application with no issues, but what about the compilers, SDKs, or development environments used to build and maintain it?

For example, could Creative Cloud Photoshop open a file made in Photoshop 1.0? The answer is ‘sort of’. While it may be able to open the older file format, this file likely contains features and tools not supported in the new version, meaning it wouldn’t be fully functional. Now imagine trying to rebuild 15-year-old software with tools that are no longer supported or that require new licences just to install.

When Does Proprietary Make Sense?

Like in the case of bleeding-edge technology, there are occasions where proprietary software is the only viable option as the products might only be available through a commercial provider. Still, there are options to negotiate access to the product’s source code under defined conditions. For example, some companies place code in escrow, with events like bankruptcy allowing the customer to take control if needed.

Unfortunately, a lot of companies assess this problem when it is too late. Getting ahead would be increasingly helpful in sectors like automotive where the scale of software continues to increase.

Where Does FOSS Stand?

FOSS thrives in this environment. The use of open technologies helps avoid vendor lock-in, while gaining traceability, and long-term maintainability. When problems arise, you have the source code and the right to modify it. In a FOSS setting, you’re also part of a community where there is a sustainable ecosystem that looks to maintain, patch, and evolve the software shared.

Questions Every Company Should Be Asking

To protect your future, ask these questions at the start of every project:

Will I be able to run this software exactly as-is in 15 years’ time?
Will I be able to make changes quickly if needed?
How hard will those two things be when time and pressure are working against me?

If you can’t confidently answer all three then you don’t own your software, you’re renting it.

Own Your Software, Own Your Future

Owning your software is about more than access. Think of control, sustainability, and resilience over time. If you lease every component of your stack, you’re betting that your vendors will still be around in 15 years, still offering the same support, and still aligned with your needs. That’s rare.

Futureproofing does not start at the top. It starts with the engineers, architects, and procurement teams that need awareness, tools, and authority to make long-term decisions today that protect the business tomorrow. Choosing open technologies, negotiating source access, and asking the right questions early on can mean the difference between a quick patch and a product recall 12 years after launch.

If your product needs to last 15 years, your software must last just as long. Start owning your software today. Talk to Codethink about building long-term, trustable systems that stand the test of time.