Automakers See Gold In Subscription Services, But How Likely Are You To Pay Monthly For Something That SHOULD Be Standard?

Every time I see the news that Toyota is adding a subscription fee to use its remote start feature or that Tesla will charge owners to use technology they already bought, I get angrier. The absolute audacity. I refuse to buy into this concept, where you spend tens of thousands of dollars on a product only to find out that, in addition to your monthly payment, you’ll also be racking up additional charges to, I don’t know, use the dual-zone climate control you already thought you bought.

I can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve seen people playing Devil’s Advocate on this one, arguing that we already live in a world of subscriptions and post-purchase downloadable content. Sure. I get it. I can see where you’re coming from. But you’re wrong.