>The reason we need those specific Compaq laptops is that they run a bespoke CA card which is installed into them," explains a McLaren spokesperson to Jalopnik. "The CA card is an interface between the laptop software (which is DOS-based) and the car." If you've never heard of a CA card, then Jalopnik commenter Mike Herbst helpfully explains it's a Conditional Access card. Modern PCs use smart cards or USB keys with special access codes to access sensitive systems, and the CA card was used as custom hardware as part of an integrated system for security and copy protection.

We also used a special 6-Pin DIN connector that hooked up via serial to the CA Card to program and access each and every McLaren.

Seems it would be cheaper to circumvent that and run it on a VM

They do. However they maintain the laptops still as a backup.

I came here to ask what that cool laptop was in one of the photos. I bet that keyboard feels really nice.

It seems McLaren doesn't need those old laptop anymore though.

> Today, McLaren uses a modern Windows computer running a software emulator for day-to-day computer maintenance. Hines keeps the vintage Compaq around just in case.

This was the HN discussion from a couple of years back about this:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11604922

I've had to buy old ThinkPads with WinXP to work on Porsche and News. It's rather common for certain models.