The New Audi A3 Is Amess With In-Car Subscriptions [Update]
www.motor1.com
The 2025 Audi A3 looks sharper and comes with more tech, but you will have to pay a subscription for some basic in-car features.

So far there’s subscriptions for cruise control, adaptive beams, various navigation options, apple/google integration and my favorite, dual-zone climate.

  • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    51·
    9 months ago

    Toyota is doing the subscription thing too? I didn’t hear about that one. I only heard about BMW, Mercedes, and now Audi.

    If Toyota/Lexus is out, then I guess my plans of buying an AWD coupe as my next car are truly dead.

    • foggy@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      9 months ago

      Toyota was gonna do it for remote starters, I believe.

      Subaru is an AWD option.

      • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        Remote start through an app I guess? At least that conceivably requires an ongoing cost on their side to justify it (although I’d be willing to bet there’s a 10,000% markup on it). Will be annoying if they are using a 3G chip for the data connection and 3G gets shut down like 2G did.

        As for the AWD thing, it’s the coupe part that’s hard. The Germans all make a coupe with AWD available, Lexus has the RC, and that’s about it (since the challenger is end of production), other than supercars that are out of my price range.

      • BearOfaTime@lemm.eeEnglish
        15·
        9 months ago

        I get a subscription for remote starts that use cell. I don’t want that, why would I want that, when conventional remote start works great.

        Best part, remote start for Toyota is about a $100 third party add-on that takes 10 minutes to install. Put one im a friend’s Taco last year.

    • derpgon@programming.devEnglish
      7·
      9 months ago

      Looks like all they do is: Music streaming directly from your infotainment ($15), live navigation + new voice commands + 24/7 agent in case you need support ($15), both above ($25, wow, such sale), and some AT&T specific bullshit where you can apparently make your car a hotspot ($25).

      https://www.toyota.com/connected-services/

      All in all, all of them useless, and absolutely not required. All of them are covered by having a phone with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

      • Aphelion@lemm.eeEnglish
        3·
        9 months ago

        None of that is at all required, they include all the usual Apple/Google phone link systems so all of that is very easily ignored. The only real problem with Toyota is the DCM sim modem, which you can get removed, and their data collection which you can opt out of.

    • 8ender@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      iirc BMW pulled back on it and only does a subscription for stuff that legit requires an internet connection