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Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

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Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#21

Post by mosselman »

mtrimpe wrote: post #12
mosselman wrote: post #8

Sadly this is a general trend though. In the past we used to buy things, like software. Now everything is subscription based and that sucks for consumers. Look at Billings (invoicing app) for example. It used to be reasonably priced as a download, now you have to buy a monthly subscription which ends up being much more expensive than before AND they can cut you off from your own data. This SaaS trend is good for busi…

For SaaS laws that force vendors to offer the ability to export (and delete) a user's data seem inevitable in the long run though. Given that the EU has already started on the 'right to be forgotten' issue I'd be surprised if they don't start making an issue out of this in the next couple of years. It'll be very interesting to see what kind of effects this will have on companies like Facebook in the long term.

You are right. But even when you can export, the issue remains that a mentality is developing in which consumers have to pay a lot of money to get something that you could just purchase once in the past.

If we continue along this route we'll slowly but surely have more and more barebone devices that can't do anything on their own, but require expensive subscriptions to do, what used to be, basic things. This also takes away our rights; the Renault example is very strong, you can't drive unless you pay. I'd maybe rather pay the price for the battery and replace it when it breaks, then having to continue to pay and then be stranded 2000km from home when I forgot/couldn't pay.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#22

Post by RyanMcGreal »

Automakers are trying hard to seize back the entitlements and perquisites they reluctantly gave up when the laws around mechanical ICE automobiles were standardized: the right to look under the hood, to maintain, to tinker, to repair, to modify, and so on. What automakers in these newer markets seem to want is something equivalent to what software corporations have: the ability not to sell cars but to issue a licence to use cars under strictly determined and enforced conditions.

Renault's remote lock is basically the same as Microsoft's Product Activation DRM, and even more nefarious because it applies to a physical manufactured product.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#23

Post by Yetanfou » 

    For a long time, cars were a symbol of freedom and independence
I actually never saw cars as a symbol of freedom and independence, rather of the opposite. Both the ownership as well as the use of those vehicles is spun in so many laws that any semblance of 'freedom' and 'independence' they give is no more than imagination.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#26

Post by bigchewy »

mythealias wrote: post #7
nl wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This whole battery renting scheme is bad, that's pure greed. The battery renting thing is great! The relatively short life of batteries and the price of replacing them is one of the biggest problems with electric cars. Renting means that isn't your problems anymore.

Renting means that isn't your problems anymore. I wonder when did the companies became so generous to pick the tab for all their customers. Maybe if you are in the market for short duration it might work but I don't see it begin cheaper for the customer in long run.

Some people buy cars, some people lease them. Why should batteries be different?

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#27

Post by gress »

salient wrote: post #16

It seems that with everything new technologies is going to allow in the future, we'll need a whole slew of new laws meant to stop abuses from both corporations and the government.

Why do we need new laws? Surely if people don't want this, they won't buy the cars.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#28

Post by cormullion »

MichaelMoser123 wrote: post #24

Renault to customers: All your cars are belong to us! I wonder what the customers will tell them in turn...

Renault cars have always suffered from poor quality electrics (source: my grateful local garage :-), so this will be unreliable as well. Another good reason to not buy another.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#29

Post by gpvos »

bigchewy wrote: post #26
mythealias wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Renting means that isn't your problems anymore. I wonder when did the companies became so generous to pick the tab for all their customers. Maybe if you are in the market for short duration it might work but I don't see it begin cheaper for the customer in long run.

Some people buy cars, some people lease them. Why should batteries be different?

Even if battery leasing is the future, it would be nice if you were allowed to decide yourself where to lease it.

Re: Renault will remotely lock down electric cars

#30

Post by girvo »

chris_wot wrote: post #9
bausson wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But what if said manufacturer decide your car is not 'supported' anymore? You may not even be allowed to turn to alternative battery suppliers, because it might be forbidden by contract. Their are some user protection laws in some countries (say, France), but it won't be the case everywhere.

In Australia, that's called "third line forcing" and is forbidden by law. Surely the U.S. has the same sort of laws?

From my experience, we get looked after well as consumers in Aus, and the US doesn't have near the protection we enjoy. Not sure if that's the case here, but I know it's true on the whole.
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