🎶 It’s a bad idea, and they’re all about it 🎶
I worked in design for a major global automaker, I designed and prototyped various user experiences around enabling/disabling features on demand, and paying a subscription. This was 7-8 years ago, and the context was developing countries and what we called “emerging markets” where people just bought bare bones base model vehicles, but there were always 1 or 2 highly desirable features they needed but could only get in a high spec model - they couldn’t afford.
The idea tested very well, they could buy their cheap vehicle and then enable just the things they really need. And they would pay for that. I still think this is a valid and good use case for subscribing, in these markets and for these people.
Somewhere between then and today, sales and marketing entered the chat, and I know because I fought them tooth and nail. What I designed morphed into subscribing to everything for everyone. I don’t work there any more and that’s part of why.
That doesn’t solve the issue at all, the feature is there, it just isn’t enabled, extremely scummy. If it was a modular design where you payed a one time fee for whatever you needed it would be less bad, not a damn subscription.
As much as I hate what it will do to the used car market we as a people need to stop buying these new cars. Like actually make it a shameful act to even be in one of these distopian devices. People love to bully and be outraged, why not point it to something like this that can be agreed on and is not hard to fix?
People want the newest shiniest thing. Cars are no longer tools, but status symbols. And people absolutely will not give up status.
Yeah, that is why shame works so well here. Status does not work to sell if is the status is negative.
Enough with the subscriptions!
They won’t stop until the air you breathe is a subscription service.
LOL
Again, I mean good luck with that I suppose. They do this and it will just accelerate the market to jailbreak cars.
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That’s not the only way. Simply refuse 100% of the time to ever buy a vehicle where you have to get a subscription for nothing of value added. We have ALL the power here and we don’t need guns (well, laws, ie men with guns who will force you into a cage if you don’t comply) to enforce it, just don’t be an idiot an buy one of these vehicles. I’ll buy nothing but used cars without subscriptions if it becomes impossible to get a new one without bullshit subscriptions.
The demand is clearly high, so if it gets bad enough I guarantee another car company is going to start up and do things better, taking business away from idiots who try shitty practices for a short-term gain and a long-term loss.
Or at least if we’re going to add a law, we need to take away two useless laws, as we have FAR too many.
Distributors only sell new cars, and the subscription is included in the credit plan. New car and fleet buyers are fine with the extra security and backup these services provide.
The distributors don’t care a damn what second hand buyers think.
You can buy a used car for fleet use. The incentives paid to the people who do the perchancing should be illegal. All party’s know the game but it’s in their interest to keep playing.
it’s called magnuson-moss, it already exists
So it lowers the cost of the car right? Right?
The author addressed that.
What did he say?
He said “Read my article” 😁
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Nuh nuh nuh nuh ;)
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The only backlash they listen to is the one to their wallets. Remember Netflix password crackdown backlash?
Sounds like we need to get the ELF and the RTR folks on a conference call.
The backlash where Netflix’s profit went up and it was generally a success and Netflix didn’t change anything at all…?
Or was there another one I missed? Or am I confused?
That’s exactly my point. All this ‘widespread backlash’ doesn’t amount to anything unless it hurts their bottom line. There was a huge backlash when netflix introduced password sharing crackdown, but it ended up a success for them.
Oh, I didn’t get what you meant I guess because people kept saying they were cancelling their accounts, I didn’t think of it as a non-action backlash.
There, of course, weren’t really that many people upset or cancelling
It felt like there were a lot of us who cancelled, but clearly not enough
How do you know that? Who told you? Remember it pays to lie.
I cancelled. 👍
We need Autoworker Unions to refuse this shit with us.
Why would they do that? This thing aligns with their interests (more money in the industry)
The simple answer is “REFUSE TO BUY THE SHIT!”
It is literally that simple. I can’t think of a single person that HAS to buy a NEW car. Keep what you have or buy used. Tell the dealerships and auto makers to fuck off! Explain why a person ever has to buy a NEW car.
As long as people are stupid and buy it the auto makers WILL continue on this path.
The simple answer is “REFUSE TO BUY THE SHIT!”
“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” – H.L. Mencken
The reality is, individual boycotts don’t do shit because people who care about their property rights are outnumbered by dipshit consumer whores by a dozen to one (if not worse). The only way to actually fix this is regulatory action by the FTC to outlaw this shit as the blatantly obvious violation of the doctrine of first sale that it is.
Sounds like we need a reduction in dipshits!
The problem solves itself with decent right to repair
Also an obvious indicator of the need for something comparable to the GDPR to keep this shit manageable going forward.
Sadly, people are not rational, and will buy the new car because it makes them feel good. They’ll give them a year of free features and people will forget all about it because it’s a free year and “a $5,000 value!”
I’ve only ever bought one new car, and that got dieselgated. I will never buy a new car again, and you won’t, but there’s not enough of us to stop this from happening.
“You will own nothing and be happy.”
What is diesel gated?
I will probably continue to buy new cars as I can spend my hard earned on whatever I want. Everyone’s financial situation, wants and needs are different… you shouldn’t bundle everyone else into your opinion.
That said, I wouldn’t buy a car that has a feature that I need locked behind a subscription… I would just buy one that suits. I am not loyal to any particular brand so I don’t care.
The only reason I see is for increased safety ratings, but sadans will never win with the trucks people drive around in now :(
Where will all the used cars come from?
I got an 03 Jetta in good trim with a 5-speed (which hardly anyone makes anymore). I’m gonna keep that fucker alive even if I have to turn it into the car of Theseus.
I have a Samurai of Theseus.
But, My wife drives a 2017 Mirage G4 with a 5 speed, and we are going to keep that thing alive however we can. And it’s fairly easy, because the Mirage is very simple and is made to be easy to repair.
A better solution is to counter market these products. Invest time in spreading content that tells other people how shit these products are. Not buying it doesn’t do much. But spreading the good word does. Its why they pay so much to advertise and market
So no ford, bmw, merc, tesla and who else so far?
Enshitification isn’t solved by voting with your dollar. If it did, the printer market wouldn’t be the shit show that it is. You can’t vote for the good if all the manufacturers mutually agree to only produce shit. Only regulation will keep them in line.
(inb4 “brother is better”, I am aware that brother printers are generally better, but they are far from good.)
Especially when the majority of people will litterly drink shit milkshakes every damn day before they ever dream of using something that isn’t their preferred brand or might require accepting some modest trade-offs.
We all suffer from enshitification because the “average consumer” makes it profitable with their apathy, their ignorance, and their laziness. And there’s nothing we can about that. We’re stuck in these markets with them, and they make up the majority, so they set the trends.
You’ve succinctly articulated something I’ve been struggling to for a long time.
We all suffer from enshitification because the “average consumer” makes it profitable with their apathy, their ignorance, and their laziness.
And then you follow up with this banger:
And there’s nothing we can do about that. We’re stuck in these markets with them, and they make up the majority, so they set the trends.
I hate it so much, but what can those of us that actually care do other than try to educate people?
I will say, part of that ignorance, apathy, and laziness is an intentional part of our existing society. You can’t spend the time to research every single product you ever buy, because many are stuck working several job, basically everyone is juggling their work, family, and social life.
A couple months back, I tried putting some effort into finding a printer that had all of the qualifications I wanted.
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usb printing, no network needed
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laser
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color
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not a brand that will fuck you over (looking at you HP)
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within a reasonable budget of $300-$400
And such a product just doesn’t exist. Brother comes close, but the market straight up isn’t producing good things. So at the end of the day all I can do is either get shafted at the local print store, or suck it up and get an inferior product.
But going back to the OP, it’s so much worse with cars because we have a car-centric society. You NEED a car in this place to have a normal life. Our cities and transportation have been intentionally designed to fuck over everyone not in a car.
So there is inelastic demand. The manufacturers can do whatever the fuck they want and get away with it.
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And this is why capitalist markets don’t really regulate themselves and need government intervention.
Because the handful of of companies that buy up all their competitors will just do whatever makes the most money together and consumers have no alternatives.
Only the stupid rich people who are complete fucking idiots are gonna spend money on this. That and people irresponsible with money who are also complete morons. Anyone with a sense of financial responsibility will absolutely not buy these shitty anti consumer cars
Only the stupid rich people who are complete fucking idiots are gonna spend money on this. That and people irresponsible with money who are also complete morons.
Sadly that’s enough people to turn a profit so the rest doesn’t really have a choice. It’s either a fully enshitificated car, or no car.
I will build one or fucking walk
And what happens when you don’t have other options in the market?
I’ll keep driving my old car that has no wireless connectivity.
I could also buy an old 1969 Ford Galaxie and have it fitted with an electric motor and a trunk full of batteries to build my own electric car. We can do that with any old car actually.
Sure, and like with everything else the free market is controlled mostly by broke morons and rich assholes. So it’ll happen anyways because those two groups will fall for it, believing they’re entitled to nice things.
Climate conference or whatever, has nothing to say about car makers actively hindering adoption of modern engines/EV?
