Modern cars are becoming more sophisticated. The expectation of what a new vehicle goes way beyond driving-feel, engine technology, and styling. Many consumers care more about connectivity and tech-features, likening shopping for a car to shopping for a smartphone.
Whatever benefits these features offer need to be weighed against the weaknesses they carry. Chief among them is dependency. When your car depends as much on proprietary software as it does on hardware, you’re tied to a dealer network that can handle any needed repairs. Despite what the ownership papers might say, the level of involvement required by the manufacturer means that there’s a near-permanent tether collared to your ride.
This concept has been taken to the extreme by Tesla, who has used such draconian measures as removing upgrades for secondhand owners and salvaged vehicles. Their argument, such as it is, is that features like Ludicrous Mode, belong to the initial buyer, and not the vehicle. That means that buyers of used P100Ds will find themselves in possession of neutered versions of the sedan.
Jalopnik carried a story about a buyer that had bought a Model S from a dealer, with Full-Self Driving mode as a listed feature Yet, a remote audit by Tesla somehow determined that FSD had not, in fact, been paid for, and was then removed. How they came to this conclusion wasn’t disclosed.
Tesla Has Removed Features Remotely Without Notification
Worse yet, there have been owners of P85D and P90D Model S’s and Model X’s found performance upgrades disappear after software upgrades. While Tesla claims that this was a bug, further updates failed to resolve the issue. Instead of owning the cars that they’d paid for, these buyers seem to instead be paying for products that can be altered at any moment at the whim of the manufacturer.
Such is the problem of over-the-air updates. While there is some appeal to having software repairs managed so conveniently, it means that you’re always on a leash.
It’s not just EVs that come with such restrictions. Ferrari is notorious for maintaining tight control of its products. They seem to view selling a car as doing the buyer a real solid by letting them have their car. For example, if you buy a Ferrari, you’re not allowed to sell it within the first year of ownership. Even though it’s yours.
You’re also limited in what changes you’re allowed to make. Since a Ferrari is clearly perfect as-is, so any modifications could get you blacklisted by the company.
Is It Ownership if the Manufacturer Creates the Rules?
Sure, most people don’t need to worry about what dictates Ferrari has. If you’re in the market for an exotic sports car, you can go elsewhere. And it’s not like Hyundai would refuse a sale because of your plans for Hello Kitty decals on a 2020 Venue,
What most modern car buyers need to be mindful of is the amount of information they’re trading away for the convenience of GPS and safety features. Modern car manufacturers are constantly recording and storing massive amounts of digital information about you. Everything from location, to driving style, to even phone communication is being farmed for its value.
This isn’t a new concept. Most people are familiar with the idea that we’re all being monitored at all times now. It’s a strange thing to become comfortable with. Yet, convenience is a great way to make people acquiescent.
It’s a strange contrast, though. The romantic idea of the freedom of the road and the reality of constant surveillance.