I’m not fond of obscure bits or screwdrivers. Apple has had their share, and IBM had a security-bit Torx, and much of the fix-it-yourself community has had their frustrations, as have I, over these things. Usually, they are simply obscure, and not manufacturer unique. It just came out that BMW has a new patent that would be unique to them, specifically working on a play from their own logo, so the guess is that nobody else would use it. The initial claim is that there are applications where only a limited group of people should be able to manipulate them, but unfortunately, we’ve seen the scope of that limitation abused by some who think more repairs should be done by people who bill us hundreds of dollars an hour only because they have a special tool.
BMW patented a new screw or bolt design in 2025. The design makes it impossible to fasten or unfasten without a proprietary tool.
Source: BMW Has Patented A Way To Make DIY Car Repairs Much Harder – Jalopnik
