New Toyota car owners will need to pay a $8/mo so their key fob can remote-start their car. Cars before 2018 are excluded, because their internal 3G networks are about to go offline, disabling Toyota's remote control. arstechnica.com/cars/2021/12/t

Every car maker is looking for ways to turn a one-time car purchase into a subscription, because technology now grants them remote control of your car. I wrote more about this phenomenon here: puri.sm/posts/locked-in-a-remo

Show thread

I'm so glad my vehicles are in good shape, and from before this era of always-on networks and remote control. If I needed a car, I wouldn't buy a new one.

Show thread

@kyle I am so torn. I feel like one of the plug-in hybrids is the responsible choice, but HELL NO I don’t want someone else in control of my car. It’s mine or it isn’t, screw subscriptions.

@Stacky My hope is that by the time I do need to get a different car, either the current situation w/ remote control will improve, or else there will be more off-the-shelf EV conversion kits available for older cars.

@kyle @Stacky I have a bit of hope, for example Ford just started selling an electric crate motor:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38140495/ford-f-100-eluminator-concept-revealed/

Still quite a bit of work to go from that to "privacy respecting electric vehicle", but it's a good start.

@moparisthebest @Stacky I wonder how much telemetry and phoning home (if any) is included in that kit.

Sign in to participate in the conversation
Librem Social

Librem Social is an opt-in public network. Messages are shared under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 license terms. Policy.

Stay safe. Please abide by our code of conduct.

(Source code)

image/svg+xml Librem Chat image/svg+xml