kodiakng
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- David
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2022
- Threads
- 15
- Messages
- 699
- Reaction score
- 1,107
- Location
- Oregon
- Vehicles
- 2023 Cyber Orange 4X Mach-E
- Thread starter
- #16
agreed regarding the hardware in the car for which there really isn't a software component that is enhanced over time.Just so. For things that require software development/maintenance and/or the maintenance of back-end infrastructure, ongoing service fees are justifiable. For things that the car's hardware are capable of providing by design, they are not.
the issue will be where the hardware is just there as sensors and control for something that is primarily software, i.e. hands free BlueCruise. ford will have to prove itself to provide value in that space before they see folks fork over cash for the service.
i don't see this article isn't doing that. all of the services they listed are optional - you can subscribe or not. my concern is when ford tries to charge a subscription fee for an essential inherent drivability or safety feature of the car. they haven't done that so far but they could.I think the automotive press does disservice to consumers by talking about satellite radio and internet service fees, and fees to use heated seats and get extra torque/power firm the car's motors, as if they are the same thing.
ford hasn't done anything (yet ) to make it so you can't do these things. the streaming, SXM, mobile hotspot, etc features are all optional and additive to the car system. as you note, consumers can definitely say no to these optional services and use alternatives.except....
... this.
I already pay for an internet-enabled phone, and through it I can stream music & video, get realtime traffic aware nav, and much more. I use Waze and podcast addict over AA in my Mach-E. Before I got my Mach-E I had a phone bracket on my dash so I could see waze, and played music/podcasts over bluetooth. I will easily go back to that arrangement if Ford wants to get cute and eliminate AA or charge for it.
As consumers we have the option to say "no" to this new paradigm.
navigation, however, is a case where i'm less forgiving with ford: their internal system currently is the only way to enable a critical feature of the car - preconditioning the battery before DCFC. if they add a button or other method to do that independently from the navigation system it would give us better options.
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