Toyota- Oh dear

[CXRAndy]

Toyota are proposing that you pay a monthly subscription to use your key fob


Just imagine your payment fails to be logged, you're locked out of your own car

This is going to be a competitors bonanza. They will advertise, when you buy our car you own all of it.

Something sounds a little desperate with toyota's direction.

They have fallen way, way behind on electric vehicles because they wanted us all to go hydrogen- something like 20,000 world wide sales and one hydrogen station

 

[fossyant]

A link might be useful.

 

[DCLane]

A link might be useful.

It's for the remote start function: https://www.engadget.com/toyota-key-fob-remote-start-function-requires-subscription-111606852.html

They're not the only one doing something like this, but it re-asserts why I don't buy the 'latest' car and have top-end silly-featured models.

 

[cougie uk]

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme...ription-fee-to-use-remote-start-functionality

No idea why you'd want this or pay for it ? What does it do ? My non Toyota can be set to warm up at 6am or whatever I want in the winter but that's free.

 

[fossyant]

Ah a lazy barstewards option. Wasteful of energy, from planet burning ICE cars and Congo cobalt killer EV's.

God forbid people have to put a coat on.

 

[fossyant]

From same article

Mercedes also requires a subscription in Europe for rear-wheel steering in its new EQS electric car - £100k EV and you don't get full use of the steering options unless you subscribe.

TBH it's coming in for all these 'connected cars' mark my words.

 

[Chief Broom]

Sold the cow but still milking it ive never felt i truly owned a vehicle in this high tech world with onboard computers.

 

[mustang1]

From same article

Mercedes also requires a subscription in Europe for rear-wheel steering in its new EQS electric car - £100k EV and you don't get full use of the steering options unless you subscribe.

TBH it's coming in for all these 'connected cars' mark my words.

Not much shocks/surprises me but I really had to check this one out, and yes you're right! WTH is that about???

You can turn the rear wheels by 4.5 degrees but if you want the full 10 degrees then it's a yearly cost. THAT IS INSANE. This could happen for all sorts of things.

The other thing I dislike is when booking for servicing, it's all online so now you cannot negotiate a price to get your car serviced. The prices are insane too unless you get a "service care" package (which itself has a crazy price associated with it). It's a case of "if you can pay for it, then we want you to pay for it". Bentley service? You can just use VW parts. Mental.

 

[fossyant]

There is all sorts in cars now. Some VW's don't unlock the Apple/Android link in the stereo unless you 'pay'. Unless you are handy with an ODBC dongle and software, you get 'locked out' of a number of 'options'.

 

[Drago]

Tesla recently immobilised their cars via a technical fault which affected the app, and they didn't charge a penny for the privilege.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

"Sigh!"
Don't we all miss the days, when the most complicated thing was a FM radio?


No, I'm not being sarcastic!

 

[Electric_Andy]

The people who used to shout "big brother" and "they're trying to control us" are laughing now! I am very surprised at Toyota. Their whole (what's the word.....ideal.....ethos...) was about making bullet proof cars that would last a lifetime and be affordable for the average person. This type of crap seems like the new CEO has been watching too many influencers on Youtube

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

"Sigh!"
Don't we all miss the days, when the most complicated thing was a FM radio?


No, I'm not being sarcastic!

My first Land Rover was even less complex!!
(1969 2A Light-Weight)


Plus, I remember my dads first car, that he owned, rather than a 'works van', had a radio aerial!!
We used to take the transistor radio from the kitchen & plug it in, whilst out
Then it could barely be heard over the engine/gearbox!!
(Austin Cambridge A60)

 

[wafter]

Usual crap sadly... as the consumptive capitalist model becomes increasingly unsustainable, those whose business relies on the absurd mantra of perpetual growth are forever grasping for anything that allows them to keep us spending.

We've had the joy of built-in / forced obsolescene for decades but many markets are driving towards subscription / debt-led models such as this, to allow them to continue bleeding us for a regular, contractually-obligated amount every month.

I suspect this will be pursued with renewed vigor when electric cars really begin to dominate the roads, and being nailed down for £500 per month to drive a car you'll never own will no doubt be pushed as some means of making this crap "accessible" to those of us who'd otherwise have happlily rolled around for years in something that cost them total less than a few month's debt slavery.

Of course this will all be forced upon using all the usual marketing tools; excess taxation, shaming on dubious environmental grounds, implied status inferiority... and with this new breed of crap will come a new level of control - speed limiters, location trackers, the ability for the man to simply turn off your vehicle remotely should you express an opinion that doesn't conform to the prescribed groupthink policy...

 

[PeteXXX]

My old A40 Devon had a box under the bonnet where the valve set for the wireless lived.. Apps had not yet been invented..