Tesla's $500 'Radio Upgrade'

EV Lab

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Or better yet: remove features in an OTA and charge you to get them back!
The features aren't removed in an OTA update, rather it is a hardware upgrade to get the streaming content. The new hardware is not compatible with the older radio, so that hardware also needs to be replaced for $500 if you want it.

I don't see what they are doing as wrong... What other car company offers a hardware upgrade to an older model to offer new features?
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The features aren't removed in an OTA update, rather it is a hardware upgrade to get the streaming content. The new hardware is not compatible with the older radio, so that hardware also needs to be replaced for $500 if you want it.

I don't see what they are doing as wrong... What other car company offers a hardware upgrade to an older model to offer new features?
A lot of cars can have satellite radio added later, or navigation added later, to their existing hardware.

Or you can go outside of the manufacturer for a lot less than $2500.

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That said, your question isn't really the right way to look at it. The right way to look at it is "what other car company sells you a $2000 upgrade that permanently takes away a capability you already had [AM radio] and charges you $500 to give you back two more [FM and SXM]?"
 

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That said, your question isn't really the right way to look at it. The right way to look at it is "what other car company sells you a $2000 upgrade that permanently takes away a capability you already had [AM radio] and charges you $500 to give you back two more [FM and SXM]?"
True enough... Believe me, I am not a Tesla fan boy, but I guess what I'm saying is that I think it is cool that they offered an "upgrade" at all.

I can't imagine what it would be like to try to fit an aftermarket stereo into a Model S....
 
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GoGoGadgetMachE

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True enough... Believe me, I am not a Tesla fan boy, but I guess what I'm saying is that I think it is cool that they offered an "upgrade" at all.

I can't imagine what it would be like to try to fit an aftermarket stereo into a Model S....
Yeah it's fair that there's a pro and con situation here but I feel like the con is way higher.

And we are slowly getting for sure to where aftermarket won't be an option. It certainly won't be on the Mach-E with that 2000" screen!
 

bluestarct

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There's been talk about AM Radio on here as well as FM and SXM.

Turns out that to get Netflix on your older Tesla, you lost AM, FM, and SXM and it's now $500 to get FM and SXM back. AM is gone for good.

But at least you can watch Netflix when you aren't, you know, driving. ?????????????????????????????

Tesla's $500 'Radio Upgrade' restores FM and Sirius XM access https://www.engadget.com/tesla-radio-upgrade-100037430.html
I'll take the after market for $20. Or the prior gently used for $2 from Goodwill.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Tesla's $500 'Radio Upgrade' 1604016489437
 


kdryden99

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Please no more Regulations! Allow the free market to work.
Ha! There is no free market. Tesla is the biggest example of a company who dgaf about their customers and tries to charge them for "options" that i have standard my 16 and 3yr old cars. The free market will allow them to continue and others to do the same
 

TheLight75

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remember you only bought the tires, chassis and body. The rest you are just on a subscription service for tesla.
Is that really a surprise? Software-as-a-service has been all the rage the last 15+ years. :)
 

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Its scary to think that some other autos might do the same.
There needs to be an update in regulations to prevent stuff like this from happening
Totally agree - just most software now has become subscription based, it would not surprise me if automakers go down the same path. I am not big on regulations per se (nothing political here) but consumers should be able to buy a car and get basic functionality including key safety features in the base price.

We don't need a company to come up a hare brained idea like hands free autonomous driving is free but you have to pay monthly to use the steering wheel.
 

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Not sure I would say that Tesla is "bending over backwards to help older owners." Tesla sees it as a opportunity to monetize an upgradeable piece of hardware. They aren't doing it for free.

I would say the ability to upgrade the MCU falls into the same category. It can be upgraded, normally for a fee. For those that want FSD, there is a charge. Hefty charge now of $10k. The new equipment also allows data to be pulled into the AI which helps the entire system.
 

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So for $500 someone can get their radio back via an update or they can get a hands free driving update. Tough choice.
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