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Thread: Hammer down. For a fee...

  1. #1
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    Default Hammer down. For a fee...

    Mercedes wants you to pay them a "subscription" to use all of your engine's horsepower...

    Mercedes locks faster acceleration behind a $1,200 annual paywall
    / The German auto manufacturer is the latest company to offer subscription services for features a vehicle was already capable of.
    By JESS WEATHERBED

    Nov 23, 2022, 9:24 AM EST|57 Comments / 57 New
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    Mercedes-EQ EQE and EQ EQS models are eligible for an Acceleration Increase add-on, which boosts performance for a $1,200 yearly subscription. Image: Mercedes

    Mercedes is the latest manufacturer to lock auto features behind a subscription fee, with an upcoming “Acceleration Increase” add-on that lets drivers pay to access motor performance their vehicle is already capable of.

    The $1,200 yearly subscription improves performance by boosting output from the motors by 20–24 percent, increasing torque, and shaving around 0.8 to 0.9 seconds off 0–60 mph acceleration when in Dynamic drive mode (via The Drive). The subscription doesn’t come with any physical hardware upgrades — instead, it simply unlocks the full capabilities of the vehicle, indicating that Mercedes intentionally limited performance to later sell as an optional extra. Acceleration Increase is only available for the Mercedes-EQ EQE and Mercedes-EQ EQS electric car models.

    Auto brands have started restricting built-in vehicle features to later sell as ongoing subscriptions

    As global sales for new cars have fallen in recent years, car manufacturers have pivoted toward selling software updates and features as subscriptions to generate a continuous revenue stream long after a car has been purchased. While this makes sense for certain software-specific offerings (such as premium navigation features or remote vehicle monitoring), Mercedes paywalling its vehicle performance is part of an emerging, more loathsome trend that sees auto brands restricting the capabilities of hardware that already comes factory-equipped with the vehicle.

    This comes just months after BMW sparked outrage by similarly charging an $18 monthly subscription in some countries for owners to use the heated seats already installed within its vehicles, just one of many features paywalled by the car manufacturer since 2020. BMW had previously also tried (and failed) to charge its customers $80 a year to access Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — features that other vehicle makers have included for free.

    https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/...-feature-price

  2. #2
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    The free market should straighten this trend right out.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sportin' Woodies View Post
    The free market should straighten this trend right out.
    You would think that.

    Of course, that same free market is paying $600 for tennis shoes because they are “cool”.


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    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

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  4. #4
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    I won't even pay $10 per month for an app, let alone $18 per month for heated seats. Crazy.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by MolliesMaster View Post
    You would think that.

    Of course, that same free market is paying $600 for tennis shoes because they are “cool”.


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    They aren’t tennis shoes, they’re wearable art.

  6. #6
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    Hah, thank you for explaining it to me! Makes perfect sense now.



    One of these days the bottom is gonna fall out. And in those times, I'm afraid, we are going to realize that we aren't made of the same stuff as the people who survived the Great Depression and fought in the World Wars and made this country great. And it's gonna land on us like a ton of bricks.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

  7. #7
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    How is this any different from what Tesla is doing with their super charger

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by MolliesMaster View Post
    You would think that.

    Of course, that same free market is paying $600 for tennis shoes because they are “cool”.


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    And the same people who would probably agree that it’s good that our speed can be controlled.
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