So far there’s subscriptions for cruise control, adaptive beams, various navigation options, apple/google integration and my favorite, dual-zone climate.

  • @[email protected]
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    51 year ago

    Wonder how much that ends up costing per month and how much that ends up costing over the lifetime of the vehicle.

    Assuming the lifetime even matters when they decide to just cut off subscriptions at some point in the future to turn features off to drive you towards buying a new vehicle and dumping this one like a good consumer.

  • @[email protected]
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    1631 year ago

    This shit should be illegal. When you buy a device, you own all the hardware and have every right to use it to the full extent of its physical capabilities. Audi has no right to hold your property hostage!

    • @[email protected]
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      41 year ago

      Nope.

      If you are leasing subscriptions it makes sense. Or for certain features.

      I couldn’t care less as long as the option to buy remains. I’d almost certainly end up subbing though on my next lease.

      • @[email protected]
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        41 year ago

        My car has a 4g cell connection that allow me to find its position, check the battery level, lock it, unlock it, call for emergency, play online music, check for update, set up the interior temperature or seat heating and use it as a WiFi hotpsot in the car.

        I’m would have prefered no connection but I’m not paying a dime for it.

      • @[email protected]
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        951 year ago

        Things that legitimately rely on an outside service are different. You understand how those are different, right?

        Cruise control doesn’t require Audi to maintain a fucking server for you.

        • @[email protected]
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          131 year ago

          I have a different look on this, but it’s just the way i see it: if a manufacturer puts a function in your car that requires them to run a server then that server is on them, they put the function in there not me.

          I buy the car, it’s mine in all it’s functionality. If they don’t want that, then don’t put it in.

        • @[email protected]
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          1 year ago

          I am ok with a charge for things that require the manufacturer to run a server. But only if that charge is related to the actual cost , and that cost is unavoidable. Regarding that last point: my Garmin satnav lets me use my own mobile data to get live traffic information. Car makers don’t give you that option.

          • @[email protected]
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            1 year ago

            Car makers don’t give you that option.

            Except they do if you have Android Auto. Literally none of that has any bearing whatsoever on subscriptions for cruise control though.

            • @[email protected]
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              41 year ago

              According to the article, apple car play and android auto also require a subscription. So no, they don’t give you the choice.

              • @[email protected]
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                21 year ago

                Subscription to a cell carrier maybe? I’ve used Android Auto in particular a bunch. It connects to my phone and uses Google maps, which is non subscription. Admittedly it’s been a bit, I suppose Google could have crippled it since I last used it, but I have my doubts. My mother uses it regularly and I guarantee she’d be throwing a fit if she needed to pay to do so.

                • @[email protected]
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                  41 year ago

                  Nope. Read the first line of the article. Apple CarPlay won’t work unless you pay Audi a subscription fee. I’m not surprised, I had an A3 a few years ago and that already had subscriptions built in. But they came with a 3 year license and Audi UK would extend that for a year at a time, free of charge as they had not worked out how to charge for it. They have worked it out now.

    • @[email protected]
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      61 year ago

      How else am I, a humble car artisan (cartisan, if you’re feeling naughty), supposed to continue to generate obscene levels of wealth for my shareholders if I can’t continue to milk customers?

  • @[email protected]
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    311 year ago

    Just buy the audi and come to your local electrician, he will turn on all the functions, id rather die than let this shit happen. Tesla heated seates need subscription? Heres a 20$ dongle to turn it on forever. Hyundai remote start subscription? Here take this 80$ remote to start it forever. Bmw fake exhaust sound onley comes with M sports pack and costs over a thousand? Give me 10$ and ill turn that on and turn on everything else that is hidden.

    • @[email protected]
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      111 year ago

      As much as I’d love for people to do this, there’s probably a ton of software safeguards to prevent this. Even if you’d get around it, those greedy fuckers will undoubtedly void your warranty. And somehow that’s legal too.

      • Encrypt-Keeper
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        41 year ago

        Maybe? With my Mazda, activating the navigation system was a matter of spending $10 on an SD card with everything preloaded onto it. Disabling infotainment warnings, reenabling the touchscreen even when the car’s moving, and even adding CarPlay to a car that didn’t support it was just a matter of a USB stick that tweaked all those things.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        Yes there is a lot of safeguards, like safeguards so people wouldnt steal cars, but guess what, cars get stolen. Plus its easier to turn on functions that you want than steal a car, for audi MLB platform just reflash the MMI to an older version, unlock the hidden menu and turn on all the stuff you need. For this new audi I give half a year and there will be a version to unlcok everything like every year for the pas 20 years.

    • @[email protected]
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      41 year ago

      That remote start actually relies on an external service, so paying for it makes sense. Evetything else though? Yeah, fuck em.

      • @[email protected]
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        31 year ago

        Remote start trough an app is not possible to crack, but if you add a remote control like you have for a garage than it just sends a signal to start the car and doesnt use any services.

        • @[email protected]
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          11 year ago

          I mean you could, the real problem is it’s probably not legal for someone to make kits to replace what you would need to.

          • @[email protected]
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            21 year ago

            100% legal, you can loose your keys and go to a lockpicker and he would make you new keys and add them to your car. Its not legal id you do this to another car in the night and drive away with the car to sell it 😂

            • @[email protected]
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              11 year ago

              Perhaps, but that’s still a little different than selling a kit that replaces the factory equipment to replace the app and would depend on how exactly it was accomplished, after all those infotainment systems have license agreements, while I may be allowed to modify the software for my own head unit, providing it to others probably isn’t allowed, especially if I’m making a profit. So while it’s the kind of thing that should be legal, I’m guessing if anyone started selling kits to replace the dealer app with a third party one they’d be going to court.

              • @[email protected]
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                11 year ago

                Your talking like you cant buy a third party HU and put it in your car with a third party app. Nobody gives a fuck unless you want to have a service guarantee, but those now last 1-2 years and basicly doesnt repair anything.

    • @[email protected]
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      1 year ago

      Just buy the audi and come to your local electrician, he will turn on all the functions, id rather die than let this shit happen.

      And then Audi gets the government to prosecute you for exercising your property rights “violating the DMCA by circumventing DRM.”

      The concept here is “ownership for me, serfdom for thee.”

      • @[email protected]
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        11 year ago

        Nope, they have no power to do this, than they would prosecute the people who create tools to do diagnostics, add keys, program modules. They have zero ground on this.

        • @[email protected]
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          11 year ago

          I guess you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t noticed the persecutions of folks making video game console modchips, John Deere fighting with farmers over who’s allowed to repair tractors (including an MOU that the media claims is “kind of” a win for famers, but nevertheless asserts that “modification of Embedded Software” is “illegal infringement” of John Deere’s intellectual property [sic]), etc.

          Sure, nobody’s gone to prison for “jailbreaking” (which is already an absurdity that should never have become necessary in the first place) a car yet, but the DMCA Anti-Circumvention Clause is still the law of the land and unless that changes, it’s only a matter of time.

          • @[email protected]
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            11 year ago

            Because automotive industry is so big and wanted to do the same thing like other industrys, this law had to be passed RIGHT TO REPAIR. After this some xompanys like Jaguar, Ford, Peugeot put theyr programs for free online for everyone to use to repair their cars. Other made them payed but it was not a big sum. Now going in to 2015 when subscription stuff was picking up, we onley have Jaguar free. Others not onley made them more expensive but now you have to provide information about who you are and what you work, some even made you pay 15$ for 24h to let you connect to one vin number and just delete faults. But still you could and still can do anything you want to your car, Ive never heard anyone who got in trouble for moding theyr car. Expet when making changes to the odometer or the exhaust system/ eco system but thats another league. There are also standarts that dont let you change any light outside your vehicle but thats about safety. But talking about seat heating, remote start or other comfort functions, unless you want to have a gusrantee from your shop, nobody GIVES A FUCK what you do to your car.

      • @[email protected]
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        151 year ago

        Every shred of evidence is that enough idiots will buy it and it won’t really matter. Then they’ll all do it.

  • Talaraine
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    171 year ago

    If people don’t just say no to this garbage, it will continue. Honestly I think I’m gonna go to an Audi dealership this weekend and crank the salesguys up before walking out on principle.

    • @[email protected]
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      31 year ago

      You should go yell at the McDonald’s cashier next. That’ll really stick it to the man and definitely not fuck up some dude just paying rent.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        Good, I don’t see a problem then, companies can go fuck themselves

        Edit: wanted to clarify that I don’t think it’s not a problem in itself, it certainly is, but it is a direct consequence of people being dumb, even announcing a plan like this should cause a complete boycott, but I don’t think most people cared

  • @[email protected]
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    71 year ago

    Hard pass. I’m not going to own a car that spies on me or requires a subscription for something that’s already in the fucking car. Eat shit.

  • @[email protected]
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    1 year ago

    Weird that across many industries they keep adding things consumers hate but get away with it because everyone else is doing it. How do people still believe in the premise of capitalism when consumer choices range from ineffective to flat out impossible.

  • @[email protected]
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    1 year ago

    Why would anyone sign up for that? Now you have your car payment AND the fucking subscription? Makes no damn sense. What happens when they inevitably shut down their cloud servers that keep your access to the features in the car turned on? You never own the thing.

    • 100_kg_90_de_belin
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      41 year ago

      No one would sign up for that, but I bet that car maufacturers will make it the only model available. As for the shutting down of servers: something something small print

    • @[email protected]
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      71 year ago

      Ah yes, the moment you to have to break the law to own the stuff you bought. Audi A3 jailbreak

      • @[email protected]
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        11 year ago

        What law do you break? I know it won’t be plausible for the general public because of warranties and all that.

        And some copyright things or something else will prevent repair shops from jailbreaking it for you.

        But what would prevent you legally from jailbreaking your own car?

          • HACKthePRISONS
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            21 year ago

            >But what would prevent you legally from jailbreaking your own car?

            the digital millenium copyright act of 1999

                • @[email protected]
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                  11 year ago

                  If that was true, in the courts, then every jail broken iPhone user is a felon. Maybe that’s true, maybe not, it doesn’t matter because it’s unenforceable and the govt doesn’t give a fuck.

  • @[email protected]
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    771 year ago

    Can’t wait to start pirating cars.

    Those ads in the early 2000s were prophetic. The answer is yes, by the way. Yes I would.

    • @[email protected]
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      271 year ago

      indeed, yes you should. civil disobedience is the best term for fighting uncivilized barbarian bullshit like this in the first place.

  • Jesus
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    191 year ago

    Update: Audi issued a statement noting that the upcoming 2025 A3 in the US will have “the same offer structure for Function on Demand as the previous 2024 model year.” That means only enhanced navigation with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit and adaptive cruise control will be offered as subscriptions. Dual-zone climate control and high-beam assist won’t be offered as subscriptions in the US. Specifics will be available closer to the A3’s launch in the US.

    • Jolteon
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      151 year ago

      I can see the enhanced navigation being a subscription service, since it sounds like something that requires an external service to function. Adaptive cruise on the other hand…

  • Pumpkin Escobar
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    1 year ago

    dumbest fucking timeline. A subscription for a feature that requires no infrastructure and is part of the physical thing you just paid $40k for.

    • prole
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      211 year ago

      If only we had people shouting from the rooftops for decades (100+ years?) to warn us about where capitalism inevitably leads… How could anyone have seen something like this coming??

    • @[email protected]
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      181 year ago

      There is infrastructure involved with monitoring subscription status to make sure you’re not pirating heated seats. Also for taking payments to unlock your adjustable lumbar supports. They gotta pay for it somehow!

      • cerothem
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        61 year ago

        There is actually infrastructure involved… payment infrastructure, servers, modems and cell connectivity. Sure none of those things would be needed if there weren’t subscriptions, but there certainly is infrastructure used to verify your subscription and cut you off when you miss a payment.

    • JohnEdwa
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      1 year ago

      The logic behind the concept originally made sense, they manufacture just one car with all the features as that reduces manufacturing overhead by a ton, much more than what they would save by having one with heated seats and one without (especially when multiplied by all the possible configurations), but instead of only providing the model at the price point with all of them enabled, they disable some for the cheaper models - this is possible because car prices aren’t really based on how much they actually cost to manufacture.

      This then lead into allowing people to pay to enable the features later if they wanted to, because why not, they are already there. Iirc Tesla was one of the first to do this with unlocking range, performance and “self-driving” stuff.

      And finally it morphed into a subscription option because hey, if you only need heated seats a few months a year, why pay for the others? Only $10/month! And $15 for that, and $5 for that, and…

      Same goes for this Audi, the subscription is an option if you buy the lower spec model and then later don’t want to pay the full price to enable the features permanently.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        The logic behind the concept originally made sense, they manufacture just one car with all the features as that reduces manufacturing overhead by a ton

        Yeah, at the ‘minor’ cost of the fact that the method of enforcing that market segmentation relies on using DRM to infringe upon everybody’s property rights.

        Sure, that “make sense” – if you’re a capitalist sociopath trying to turn consumers into serfs. But we sure as Hell shouldn’t let them get away with it!

  • @[email protected]
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    561 year ago

    retards buying subscription based cars need to grow the fuck up and recognize a principle for once