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Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

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Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#131

Post by pjmlp »

Hammershaft wrote: post #45
obviouslynotme wrote: post #2

I don't want my car to be a software platform. I want it to be like my microwave. It might have software, but software is only incidental to its operation. I do not want to tweet from my microwave. I do not want ads in traffic. This is non-negotiable for safety reasons alone. I don't care what I have to do to attain that. If that means replacing the radio. I will do it. If you brick my car if I don't have a Manufactu…

Its interesting that we have created a world where the people who build software are often the most skeptical of and aviodant of the software industry.

Because we know how the sausage is made and the shortcuts taken to deliver it.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#132

Post by Thlom »

BiteCode_dev wrote: post #47
Traster wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that you're not going to have this choice. You'll be that guy insisting he wants a phone that's thicker but has better battery life - no manufacturer cares what you want because they have to operate at a scale where they can't cater for niches.

I'm not so sure. Look at the European market: manual gears everywhere. Look at the UK, South African and Autraslian market: the car is inversed, with the wheel on the right. The car market seems way different than the phone market. It's not an information platform, it moves matter. It's not virtual, it's real. It's not luxury like the phone used to be, people life depends on it already. It's not a free market, but he…

Hm, is it true that there’s manual gear every where in Europe? I can remember we laughed at the Americans and their automatic gears 15 years ago, but now everyone drives automatic here as well.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#133

Post by excuses_ »

michalu wrote: post #128

A friend of mine bought new BMW and the whole thing just shut down half way into the journey, he said he was happy he could get out of it. The more complexity the higher the chance of failure. If you're like me you just want a car that get's you from point A to point B reliably and safely. You're probably thinking they will always be an option for a straightforward mechanical machine. But that may not be the case. Re…

The only thing that constantly improves and is really worth considering is safety. I am not even saying about active safety features but the passive ones. They are also in constant development.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#134

Post by dmortin »

BiteCode_dev wrote: post #124
dmortin wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Look at the European market: manual gears everywhere Automatic is more expensive. If they had the same price tag then most people would buy automatic in Europe too, because it's more convenient.

If that were the case, you would see most high end cars in France with automatic transmission. It's not the case here. People are quite attached to their manual gear.

Obviuosly, some people prefer that (and I guess high end car users like going fast and doing the switching up manually), but others don't. Most people who use their cars mostly in the city where the traffic is often slow, you drive in stop-and-go traffic would prefer automatic to constantly switching up and down.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#135

Post by unyttigfjelltol »

akomtu wrote: post #101
fouric wrote: post #6

This is very, very bad. Music and TV subscriptions? Not great (I want to buy something once and own it), but at least those are luxury purchases. Cars? Not ok - that's critical for me (and many others) to get to my job (bad public transit in the area), groceries, etc. > “You can easily see a major backlash to all this,” said Gartner analyst Michael Ramsay. I wonder how one can maximize that potential backlash, so as…

Precisely because it's so critical, it's a terribly efficient leverage over you, pretty much legalized extortion. Imagine you wake up one morning and your car happily announces that it's updated software overnight and from now on for your safety faceid is required to start the car and an always on driver facing camera will help you to stay focused on the road and arrive safely at your destination no matter where it i…

The FTC is considering rulemaking on 'dark patterns' being used to unfairly extract consent, and it wants to hear from you![1]

[1] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2021/04/...

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#136

Post by fpig »

dehrmann wrote: post #107
fouric wrote: post #6

This is very, very bad. Music and TV subscriptions? Not great (I want to buy something once and own it), but at least those are luxury purchases. Cars? Not ok - that's critical for me (and many others) to get to my job (bad public transit in the area), groceries, etc. > “You can easily see a major backlash to all this,” said Gartner analyst Michael Ramsay. I wonder how one can maximize that potential backlash, so as…

I mostly disagree on TV and movies. They have a lot less replay value than songs, so there isn't much sense buying. Sure, there are exceptions, but season 1 of Two and a Half Men is not worth $35.

I agree; even before the internet, I rented movies, I didn't buy them. The movie/tv industry has always been massively overcharging for the privilege of owning the content, which is why the business of selling them never even really took off the way it did for music and video games where the value of ownership is much higher.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#137

Post by livinginfear »

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to avoid purchasing, and therefore tying myself to, 'connected' platforms. I recently decided to purchase a new washing machine. It was difficult to find one that did not feature some form of wireless connectivity. I know from other discussions on this forum around so-called 'smart' televisions[1][2] that simply not connecting the device to your home wi-fi network, or implementing DNS filtering measures such as a PiHole, may not be effective ways to restrict the access of these devices. Not to mention the various security implications of giving these devices access to your network.

The idea of a car having the same connectivity is just a minefield of privacy, security and generally anti-consumer issues. I am not optimistic either that pushback against such concerns will force manufacturers to amend these practices.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25934286 [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25313480

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#138

Post by rorykoehler »

Hammershaft wrote: post #45
obviouslynotme wrote: post #2

I don't want my car to be a software platform. I want it to be like my microwave. It might have software, but software is only incidental to its operation. I do not want to tweet from my microwave. I do not want ads in traffic. This is non-negotiable for safety reasons alone. I don't care what I have to do to attain that. If that means replacing the radio. I will do it. If you brick my car if I don't have a Manufactu…

Its interesting that we have created a world where the people who build software are often the most skeptical of and aviodant of the software industry.

I don't think that is the issue. if you ever start a startup the first thing an investor will ask is what problem you are solving. Connected cars, fridges etc aren't solving any problem I have. I don't even use the inbuilt maps etc on my car. The phone is a much better device for that in every way.

Re: Cars are about to be a software platform, subscriptions and all

#140

Post by kqr »

excuses_ wrote: post #133
michalu wrote: post #128

A friend of mine bought new BMW and the whole thing just shut down half way into the journey, he said he was happy he could get out of it. The more complexity the higher the chance of failure. If you're like me you just want a car that get's you from point A to point B reliably and safely. You're probably thinking they will always be an option for a straightforward mechanical machine. But that may not be the case. Re…

The only thing that constantly improves and is really worth considering is safety. I am not even saying about active safety features but the passive ones. They are also in constant development.

But these are sometimes making it safer for the occupants at the expense of the rest of the environment (think smaller windows and fatter A pillars making children harder to see, or strengthened soundproofing making children harder to hear.)
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