This is the future. Optional equipment on cars will be built-in and can be accessed via a subscription service.
That’s the way it is with much industrial equipment. There are options one can pay for, or not. If one wishes to add the feature(s) later, usually there is an activation code that one can buy from the supplier to “unlock” the feature. If they go “blank button,” then it’s harder to add that feature back in.
I want my '69 AMX back.
Several car makers, including Ford and Chrysler, have had similarly paywalled features. It’s not uncommon to have to pay to unlock navigation. I never unlocked mine, despite having an 8.4” display. Unlocking was $500, and it came with 3 year old maps. So you have to pay more every time you update. Then there’s stuff like remote lock/unlock and start from your phone, apps on the radio, etc that require a $15/month subscription.
You want the features pay for them, but don’t whine.
Just imagine if you bought a used super awesome Tesla and a month later stuff stopped working, so you called them up and they said
“we did an audit and you should not have superboost or self driving mode” so we have removed those features from your car.
You are welcome.
“brand new battery-powered SUV”
I think I found the problem
Ya want windshield wipers? Please enter your credit card number!
No wonder I can get more for my 10y/o car than I paid for it (for real)
What’s the problem? It is designed to be activated later if the customer desires.
AaaS = Automobiles-as-a-Service
-PJ
2002 For Ranger runs just fine.
No GPS, internet
I leave my cell phone at home and nobody knows where I am.
Love it
Hhahhahahah..... This looks like a Microsoft type software subscription plan. Or these dumbass Keurig coffee machines, where you always are buying new coffee capsules from Keurig.
” In the future, You will not own your $79,000 Audi — And you’ll be happy about it”
” In the future, You’ll own nothing — And you’ll be happy about it”
I’ve read down 27 posts and am trying to figure out whether this article is satire?
And what’s with this “favourites”? If the vehicle was meant for American export, use our spelling.
“”Blank buttons aren’t rude,” wrote the owner. “This one is reminding me that I’m cheap.””
He should be thankful that he still has gasoline available.
...and don’t put it past our masters to be able to remotely disable AC, when there’s an ‘energy crisis’ (like our leaders shooting themselves in the foot over Ukraine).
I heard they’re going to add sound to EVs for safety reasons.
The standard version they’re testing sounds like a little pig, but if you want a big engine sound, you’ll have to pay an extra $1,000.
FTA: The owner of the vehicle had decided not to purchase Audi’s tri-zone climate control, yet still received a “Sync” button in their brand new battery-powered SUV. And yes, pressing it did do something—but not what they expected.
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Writer of this piece needs to go back to first grade to learn that plural pronouns such as “they” and “their” are not used for a single individual.
I have a twenty year-old Audi TT hobby car that is a ball to drive but I once broke the lock on the drivers side and the car could not be driven. The lock is obviously part of the built-in security system so, broken lock=no start.