Future of cars is a subscription nightmare

[Raynger24]

Below are excerpts from two different online articles, with links provided. Personally, I'm flabbergasted over the whole idea of paying for features that are already installed in the vehicle. Anyway, just FYI as it's not just GM, but probably coming to most, if not all automakers. Hopefully, if people would just refuse to pay, it will force car makers to back down. I'm curious as to other forum member thoughts.


"As cars get more expensive to make and profit margins dwindle, automakers are coming up with new and loathsome ways to squeeze more money out of their customers. Subscription-based access to vehicle features, like heated seats or remote key starts, fobs, are the latest attempt to charge people for things their car already came with. The question is whether customers are going to lay down and take it."

"Driving the news: Ford recently announced new options for accessing its top rated BlueCruise hands-free highway driving technology."

• Buyers can activate BlueCruise at the time of purchase for three years by rolling the $2,100 cost into the financing.
• Or, they can use BlueCruise for free for 90 days, then activate it later for $800 a year or $75 a month. They can even subscribe for a road trip and reactivate it as needed.

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/car-subscription-fees-unlock-features-new-cars

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/13/23206999/car-subscription-nightmare-heated-seats-remote-start

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[rwolfcastle]

The stock market has ruined companies. Their incentives are now toward their investors and not their customers. If there's anything Bud Light has shown us, it's that customers can win out if they stay committed to not buying product.

The only way this nickel and diming stops, is if people stop buying newer cars that enable these features and hold on to their older cars longer.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

Maybe I’m in the minority but I like the concept of being able to activate it just for a road trip instead of having it all year long. That’s the only time I’d use it.

BMW has already walked back some of their subscription plans. I don’t think this is a market that will or can sustain microtransactions. The younger people that are used to micro transactions and subscription services being shoved in their faces with video games and dating apps are too broke to afford new vehicles anyway.

 

[Ranger#5?]

yeah, I posted on that some time ago here: specifically Toyota caught a lot of heat for notifying existing customers that previously standard features in their cars like heated seats, steering wheels, remote start, etc. would start receiving monthly billings or those features would be disabled. Think there was a class action on that as customers were never told about this when originally buying their cars. I think BMW tried same thing and also had to back down and start informing new buyers about subscriptions that might apply before anyone signing a purchase contract.

I still live by the K.I.S.S. principal and figure the less tech in my vehicles the better for multiple reasons.

 

[1986YellowRanger]

10 years from now, our only option will be electric cars and subscription activated accessories. I‘m planning on taking very good care of this truck because I will have no appetite for any of that garbage.

 

[ssjx7squall]

Below are excerpts from two different online articles, with links provided. Personally, I'm flabbergasted over the whole idea of paying for features that are already installed in the vehicle. Anyway, just FYI as it's not just GM, but probably coming to most, if not all automakers. Hopefully, if people would just refuse to pay, it will force car makers to back down. I'm curious as to other forum member thoughts.


"As cars get more expensive to make and profit margins dwindle, automakers are coming up with new and loathsome ways to squeeze more money out of their customers. Subscription-based access to vehicle features, like heated seats or remote key starts, fobs, are the latest attempt to charge people for things their car already came with. The question is whether customers are going to lay down and take it."

"Driving the news: Ford recently announced new options for accessing its top rated BlueCruise hands-free highway driving technology."

• Buyers can activate BlueCruise at the time of purchase for three years by rolling the $2,100 cost into the financing.
• Or, they can use BlueCruise for free for 90 days, then activate it later for $800 a year or $75 a month. They can even subscribe for a road trip and reactivate it as needed.

https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/car-subscription-fees-unlock-features-new-cars

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/13/23206999/car-subscription-nightmare-heated-seats-remote-start

2100$?! HAHAHA nope

 

[Raynger24]

The only way this nickel and diming stops, is if people stop buying newer cars that enable these features and hold on to their older cars longer.

From your prior posts, I was 50/50 on your strong stance against ADM's. Now seeing how things are going, I 100% agree. The line has to be drawn, question is, do car buyers have the will to "Bud Light" them!

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

What's wild is that they will start putting stuff under subscription fees, at the same time that they start selling more of the data they can collect on the headunit. Things like where you stop, what gas stations you prefer, where you eat, what you listen to, etc.

 

[goalieThreeOne]

What's wild is that they will start putting stuff under subscription fees, at the same time that they start selling more of the data they can collect on the headunit. Things like where you stop, what gas stations you prefer, where you eat, what you listen to, etc.

They’re already selling that to data brokers.

 

[ssjx7squall]

What's wild is that they will start putting stuff under subscription fees, at the same time that they start selling more of the data they can collect on the headunit. Things like where you stop, what gas stations you prefer, where you eat, what you listen to, etc.

They've been doing that with everything for years. If it has a computer in it it's tracking you in some form or fashion. We balk at cars doing this when our phones do this every day.

 

[Wayfaring Ranger]

They’re already selling that to data brokers.

They've been doing that with everything for years. If it has a computer in it it's tracking you in some form or fashion. We balk at cars doing this when our phones do this every day.

I know but it's only going to get worse as the tech increases in the cabin. They haven't started selling your driving habits and in-car conversations to insurance, yet.

 

[ssjx7squall]

I know but it's only going to get worse as the tech increases in the cabin. They haven't started selling your driving habits and in-car conversations to insurance, yet.

Again, your phone does. Also insurance companies do as well

 

[Ranger#5?]

I know but it's only going to get worse as the tech increases in the cabin. They haven't started selling your driving habits and in-car conversations to insurance, yet.

The insurance companies try to get you to voluntarily collect your driving habits with a plug-in module, under the guise of lower rates for better driving habits as they interpret it. Congress on the other issues mandates and legislation for invasive data collection from your vehicle. Breathalyzer is mandatory in all new vehicles sold beginning with 2025 model year IIRC.

 

[Ranger#5?]

Again, your phone does. Also insurance companies do as well

You can change settings in your phone to eliminate most the location tracking and collection of personal habits and data.

 

[Wags]

The insurance companies try to get you to voluntarily collect your driving habits with a plug-in module, under the guise of lower rates for better driving habits as they interpret it. Congress on the other issues mandates and legislation for invasive data collection from your vehicle. Breathalyzer is mandatory in all new vehicles sold beginning with 2025 model year IIRC.

I thought that was shot down but maybe I'm wrong

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