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Car DLC?

Just...wow.


I own a 2014 dodge charger, around seven years ago I bought a product called the tazer. It was created by a single guy, it is a small module that you plug into your obdii port and with a few button presses on the steering wheel will unlock a menu on the information screen where you're speedometer is. In this menu there are a ton of different toggles. You can switch on sport mode if your car doesn't have it, unlock the srt performance pages (0-60, 1/4 mile timer g forces etc), light shows or in my case it allows you to unlock "sport paddles". I had installed a steering wheel with paddle shifters out of a wrecked challenger. Install the thing on its own and it doesn't work, flip the toggle in the menu and the car goes into a reboot sleep mode and when it comes back online boom you've got floppy paddles.

At that time I was having a discussion with thr guy who programmed this thing and I remember him saying "these features are literally a software toggle. I fully expect that one day that these features will be offered in a dlc manner like videogames" and it always stuck with me. And well...here we are. Here's the end result of many many years of vehicle manufacturers fighting back (legally at times!) against owners being able to modify their vehicles, whether it's physical parts or modifying the software.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk
 

Warnen

Don't pass gaas, it is your Destiny!
Nuts, that said I’d pay the $10 to keep my ac seats going. Say good by to swamp ass…
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
My Hyundai already has this for using their app which allows for remote start etc. I think they will be able to get away with this for app based features, but for anything physically in the car, anyone not named Tesla, is gonna get a lot of pushback.
 

Trogdor1123

Gold Member
I think it really is hard to say. My initial thoughts are this is freaking gross but it would depend on the situation more. For example, car prices go down, and you activate the features you want when you want. For example, you don’t pay for heat in summer or ac in winter. The app to start your car could make sense if the price of the car starter was zero for the hardware in the car as well (although that is probably nothing too)

That being said, it would be naive to think it went this way even remotely.
 

Gp1

Member
2z6ts9e.jpg
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
I'm pretty sure my truck allows me to remote start from my phone and see other stuff like diagnostics and shit from the same app, for like $10/mo.

How about noooooo.
 

Ballthyrm

Member
The goal stated by Tesla and others is to have a subscription service and letting you use their ride-hailing service.

Adios car ownership all together.
 
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Mattyp

Not the YouTuber
It's bullshit. Several companies have companion apps now to lock your car and remote start via your phone. I believe Kia xhatges $20 a month. It's absurd.

Can anyone explain remote start to me? My car does it but I’ve never once used it in my life and couldn’t ever fathom when I would.
 

TDiddyLive

Member
Can anyone explain remote start to me? My car does it but I’ve never once used it in my life and couldn’t ever fathom when I would.
Extreme temperatures. Get your car started while it’s cold outside so the heater gets going while you wait in your house/workplace. Or when it’s hot cool the car.

I have that feature and have probably used it twice. Could have lived without it.
 
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JayK47

Member
I am not looking forward to the cars of the future. This coming from a car guy. 100% electric, tracking your every movement, and charging you extra for built in features. Modding will fix it until it is made illegal.
 
Can anyone explain remote start to me? My car does it but I’ve never once used it in my life and couldn’t ever fathom when I would.
Used it today, in fact, to warm up the car covered in snow and ice.
Pretty nice to be in your living room getting ready, and hit the remote start (in our case, aftermarket key-fob, not app).
 

Azzurri

Member
Can anyone explain remote start to me? My car does it but I’ve never once used it in my life and couldn’t ever fathom when I would.

When you live in place where it gets sub 0f starting your car from your remote or phone inside before work for 10min is a godsend.
 
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Susurrus

Member
If I have to pay a subscription to get it, then the car doesn't have it and I won't be considering it in my purchase decisions.
 

Nobody_Important

“Aww, it’s so...average,” she said to him in a cold brick of passion
This is fucking ridiculous. If I was sat down with some salesman trying to buy a car and knowing that I was going to be dropping as much money as I would into something like this already and then they try to nickel and dime me for something like that I would just get up and walk away. You are already getting me to overpay for what I'm getting, you are already getting monthly payments, and then you wanna try to get a subscription from me on top of all that? Eat me.


The sheer audacity of this would be impressive if it wasn't so gross.
 

eddie4

Genuinely Generous
*Ding* "We're sorry, your credit card was declined when trying to process your monthly subscription for additional vehicle features. Disabling headlights, blinkers, dashboard, brakes. Ejecting passenger." *Ding*
 

Old Retro

Member
They've taken a page out of the playbooks of Capcom, Microsoft, Activision... 😒

At least the interface will look cool:
crash-team-racing-shortcut-09.jpg




realracing3.jpg
 

Polelock

Member
I am not looking forward to the cars of the future. This coming from a car guy. 100% electric, tracking your every movement, and charging you extra for built in features. Modding will fix it until it is made illegal.
You know goddamn well they are going to sell all your data to the insurance companies. They are doing that to an extent now, but its going to get worse
 
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