[…]
we’re used to hearing about subscriptions for improved performance and creature comforts on luxury cars, but VW’s trialing BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s greatest hits of consumer-hostile policies and gating an additional 27 horsepower behind a $22.30 monthly payment on the ID.3. Alternatively, owners can shell out $878 to unlock that power permanently, for the life of the vehicle.
This news comes courtesy of AutoExpress, and it’s alarming for several reasons. First, again, the ID.3 isn’t exactly a bargain, starting at the equivalent of $41,770, but it’s also no Mercedes EQE. Second, as the article points out, the car is registered at 228 hp stock, which affects insurance rates, even though owners only get 201 hp before subscribing. So, you’re paying a penalty on your insurance premium based on power that you can only access if you give Volkswagen yet more money every month.
This monthly fee also lifts torque from the standard 195 lb-ft to 228 lb-ft, and VW says that the increase in output doesn’t impact range
[…]
The best outcome we can hope for in these cases is that the outcry against it becomes so loud that VW relents. That’s worked to some degree on this side of the pond, with BMW’s heated-seat policies. But the retractions don’t last forever, and automakers are pretty much set on biding their time until software-locking everything is normalized, and they can get away with all of it.
Source: Even Volkswagen Is Doing Horsepower Subscriptions Now
So… you paid for the hardware. It is sitting in the car you own, which is parked in front of your house. And they want to ask more for what you already bought? Absolutely ridiculous and I hope the car hacking scene finds a way to circumvent this.
Robin Edgar
Organisational Structures | Technology and Science | Military, IT and Lifestyle consultancy | Social, Broadcast & Cross Media | Flying aircraft