BMW's current Bosch engine computers — the MG1 (petrol) and MD1 (diesel) family — refuse to be read or written by anything outside BMW's own toolchain, and units built from about mid-2020 carry a newer generation of that protection that can only be removed on the bench. Until it is removed, reading, cloning or reprogramming the engine computer with independent tools is off the table.

The unlock is a one-time bench procedure: the DME comes out of the car, the lock is removed with dedicated tooling, and the module goes back in. After that it reads and writes normally — no recurring fees, no special hardware left behind.

Applies to 2020+ BMW and Mini models with the Bosch MG1 or MD1 engine computer. $399 per module, unlocked on site (a mobile fee applies) or by shipping the module.