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(Photo: Bram Van Oost/Unsplash)In a major blow to anyone who wants their car to actually have its advertised features, all new Teslas will require a paid subscription to access navigation and other features after the first eight years.
Up until this summer, all Teslas came with Standard Connectivity, which drivers could enjoy throughout the lifetime of their vehicle. Standard Connectivity is the brand’s name for its basic tech package: basic maps, navigation, and music streaming are available via Bluetooth, but all other features (Sentry Mode, Caraoke, video streaming, and more) must be conducted over Wi-Fi. Drivers had the option to upgrade to Premium Connectivity for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year if they wanted to enjoy these features without a Wi-Fi connection. Now, however, it seems Tesla has found a way to eke regular payments from all of its new customers.
“Standard Connectivity is included in your vehicle, at no additional cost, for eight years beginning on the first day your vehicle was delivered as new by Tesla, or the first day it is put into service,” Tesla’s Connectivity web page now reads. Anyone who’d like to use Tesla’s most basic tech features after their vehicle’s eighth birthday will have to initiate a paid subscription. A quick scroll toward the bottom of the Connectivity page clarifies that vehicles ordered on or before July 20, 2022 will still have a lifetime’s worth of Standard Connectivity features at no cost; after this date is when the eight-year timer comes into play.
(Photo: David von Diemar/Unsplash)
The change comes just days after BMW’s $18-a-month heated seats debacle. The German automaker’s quiet shift toward requiring some drivers to pay to use individual luxury features, like adaptive suspension, steering wheel heating, and the vehicle’s full sound system, created quite the stir, and for good reason. Most drivers who spend tens of thousands of dollars on a car would like to enjoy the features the car is known for having. On top of that, few drivers expect to incorporate multiple subscription-based features into the cost of vehicle ownership on top of insurance, gas, and upkeep.
It’s unclear how much Standard Connectivity will cost once seasoned Tesla drivers deem it worthy of a monthly or annual subscription. (It could be that Tesla is biding its time, since no one will need to subscribe to Standard Connectivity for quite a while—or that it’s hoping drivers will give in to a Premium Connectivity subscription.) Unless Tesla adds support for third-party options like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, drivers won’t be able to skirt the subscription situation by seeking out popular alternatives. And we wouldn’t hold our breath for that, either.
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Source by www.extremetech.com
