Post-June 2020 BMW & Supra DME Unlocks: FEMTO vs. Autotuner — The New Era of ECU Control

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BMW and Supra owners with post-June 2020 DMEs finally have real options. Here’s a full comparison of FEMTO and Autotuner unlocks — what changed, what’s better, and why Autotuner is reshaping the tuning landscape.

Why DME Unlocks Exist

In mid-2020, BMW and Toyota began shipping vehicles with updated Bosch MG1/MDG1 DMEs that introduced new encryption. That update effectively blocked OBD-II flashing — meaning if your Supra or G-series BMW was built after June 2020, your ECU must be physically unlocked before tuning with Bootmod3 (BM3), MHD, or EcuTek.

An unlock removes that factory write protection and allows full calibration access again. For years, there was only one option: FEMTO in Finland. But now there’s finally competition.

FEMTO Unlock (Finland)

For a long time, FEMTO held the market exclusively. You’d remove your DME, ship it overseas, and wait a few weeks for it to come back ready to tune. It worked — but it wasn’t perfect.

• Advantages: Proven reliability across B58 and S58 platforms. Supported by BM3, MHD, and EcuTek (with limitations).
• Limitations: Requires international shipping and longer downtime. Dealer updates can re-lock the ECU. Unlocks are platform-specific — you must choose BM3, MHD, or EcuTek, and switching later requires another unlock.

The Game Changer: Autotuner Remote Unlock

Autotuner has changed the landscape completely. Their Remote Unlock service for post-2020 Bosch MG1/MDG1 DMEs gives shops and tuners the control we’ve been waiting for.

While the first unlock still requires the ECU to be shipped to Autotuner’s headquarters, once it’s unlocked, everything changes:

• Dealer updates no longer remove the unlock. Even if your car receives a dealer software update, the unlock persists — and if it somehow re-locks, it can be easily re-unlocked in-house with the Autotuner bench tool.
• Full DME backup and recovery. The Autotuner tool stores a complete binary image of your ECU, allowing instant restoration after a failed flash.
• Universal compatibility. Once unlocked, the ECU is open to all tuning platforms — BM3, MHD, EcuTek, and others — no separate unlocks required.
• Lower overall cost and faster turnaround. No international shipping, no third-party dependency, and a growing global network of Autotuner partners.

My Real-World Experience

After my G82 M4’s FEMTO-unlocked DME bricked during a failed BM3 flash, I had to send it back out for recovery. It was a slow, painful process. That failure is what pushed me to try Autotuner’s Remote Unlock.

The plan:

• Send the DME directly to Autotuner.
• Evaluate turnaround, communication, and data handling.
• Log every step once it’s back in-house.

If it works as expected, this could finally give tuners local control, instant recovery options, and compatibility across every major platform — something FEMTO has never offered.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Why This Matters

• Cars built before June 2020 can be tuned via OBD-II without an unlock.
• Post-June 2020 vehicles require a physical unlock — Autotuner now offers the most flexible, future-proof solution.
• Dealer updates are no longer a concern with Autotuner’s system.
• Full DME backups eliminate downtime after failed flashes.
• Competition is pushing FEMTO to innovate again — a win for everyone.

Final Thoughts

FEMTO defined the post-2020 unlock process, but Autotuner’s arrival changed everything. It’s faster, more affordable, compatible with all tuning software, and resilient against dealer updates. Most importantly, it puts control back in the hands of tuners and shop owners.

As soon as my G82 M4 DME returns from Autotuner, we’ll post the full results and logs right here.

Kinetic Autoworks – Millersville, MD
Performance tuning, dyno testing, and installation for BMW, Toyota GR, Subaru, Infiniti, and more.
Contact us to discuss your DME unlock or tuning project.