Mercedes: More Horsepower Added by Subscription Only ($1,200.00 Annually)

[jeepman3071]

How long before the software/operating system will be hacked?

Pretty quickly, especially once enthusiasts get their hands on it.

I've had several features on my car added or disabled by coding. One example would be getting rid of the ridiculously stupid TPMS system with the sensors in the wheels and going back to tire pressure monitored by the ABS system.

 

[PandaBear]

I don't think it is a bad idea unless they have some secret sauce that nobody else know, which if you hack would be IP theft.

If the engine / motor / battery can handle it then there will be ways to get there with aftermarket mod instead of hack to unlock. If it is because doing so will cause more damage so OEM need extra money to pay for the higher warranty cost then you can say it is a trade off between voiding warranty vs getting official warranty to do something.

It is actually not hard to hack things, or bypass things, if the way to achieve it is a complete reverse engineering or aftermarket solution (voiding warranty, "track use only") that engineering companies have been doing for a long time. It is just a matter of "is it cheaper to just pay $1200 a year" to get it out of the system, or spend $30000 to get a reverse engineered system in the to replace what you already have.

Now the heated seat subscription is just dumb, You can pretty much modify a $20 smart home switch to bypass nonsense like this and I'm sure somebody would print some circuit board and sell these on eBay from China for $30 each and then you can use your smart phone app to turn on and off instead of paying BMW every year.

 

[KrisZ]

It would be hilarious if all they “unlocked” was throttle opening from say 85% to a 100%.

 

[zzyzzx]

In the USA that will sell, look at the comments by most EV buyers, 0 to 60 seems to be the most important thing for them. No mention of how this will effect the range trying to get to 60 in a 35 zone every time you step on the pedal. Over a 10 year period milk another 12K out of the buyer.

No mention on the effect for battery life as well.

 

[zzyzzx]

Now the heated seat subscription is just dumb, You can pretty much modify a $20 smart home switch to bypass nonsense like this and I'm sure somebody would print some circuit board and sell these on eBay from China for $30 each and then you can use your smart phone app to turn on and off instead of paying BMW every year.

I would bypass it and just use a toggle switch.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I would bypass it and just use a toggle switch.

I think there was some misinformation about the heated seats. It is offered in places like South Africa where heated seats do not make any sense. But, if you feel that you are going to need it for a month or so per year, you enable it instead of buying the option.

In the US it wouldn't work because even if you live in Florida you are going to add that option when you buy the car. Because it's financed and you are not paying for it immediately so it's easy to rack up the cost of the car. When you finance, prudence is pushed to the background.

 

[10WSmuckers]

If I buy a car I own all aspects of it, physical or digital. This is basic consumer protection law.

 

[andrew_j]

Interesting idea. How is this different from self driving software Tesla leases out optionally?

 

[97K15004WD]

If I buy a car I own all aspects of it, physical or digital. This is basic consumer protection law.

Not if the contract you signed says you leased it, or the software behind the hardware was licensed to you.

You have to read the contract closely and see what you really are buying.

 

[DGXR]

A subscription for additional power? The sure don't make 'em like they used to.