In the end, the KIA car company made its cars into subscription models, I really hate this because in the end the car we buy with our own money doesn’t feel like it belongs to us. Should we finally buy an old school car ? so as not to be affected by this subscription models or is there a way to crack the software installed in it ?

  • @danc4498@lemmy.world
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    701 year ago

    Worth noting that these features appear to require your car to be connected to a cellular network. This isn’t the same as BMW charging a fee for heated seats.

    They could have just put a SIM card in your car and required you to pay your cell phone provider for a connection.

    • @PriorityMotif@lemmy.world
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      31 year ago

      You don’t need a cellular connection for long range, low bandwidth communication. There are networks such as Lora that don’t require a paid subscription to use.

      • @danc4498@lemmy.world
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        21 year ago

        That’s not what this is though. I have a Hyundai Tuscan that is always connected to a cellular network.

        I can always connect with the car with my phone if both the car and phone have internet access. It’s also how the “find my car” feature works. And also I believe software updates (OS and maps).

        • @PriorityMotif@lemmy.world
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          21 year ago

          I meant that they don’t have to use a cellular connection, they could use something else if they wished. LoRa is a two way data connection designed for low bandwidth, long distance. Range can be anywhere from 3-10 miles depending on obstructions/obstacles. There are other similar protocols out there.

          • @danc4498@lemmy.world
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            11 year ago

            3-10 miles is nothing though. With a cell phone connection your car can be anywhere a cell tower is and you can connect with it.

            • @PriorityMotif@lemmy.world
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              11 year ago

              That’s farther than a cell phone. A cell phone might get 3 miles maybe more if you have the high ground. It’s a lower frequency and therefore has a longer range. There are both public and private gateways for LoRa. So you can use it even if you don’t own or operate a gateway.

    • @Wogi@lemmy.world
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      -121 year ago

      I have something similar for my Subaru but it’s only 4 dollars a month.

      It’s a fee I gladly pay to be able to start my car and set the interior climate from my phone. I imagine there’s some cost the access a network to have that functionality and I don’t see a problem paying for it.

      The old style that started from a key fob required you to be a lot closer to the vehicle to start it. Right now I start it a few minutes before I leave my building a quarter of a mile away. I could start it from a different country if I wanted to. Needing to be within a few hundred feet would be pretty useless to me.