Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription • Hacker News Board

Re: Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

#321

Post by eurleif » Mon, Aug 18, 2025, 10:49 PM UTC

josephcsible wrote: post #133

billfor wrote: post #120

No different than Tesla track/performance mode which is also a software switch.

Tesla performance trims are physically different, and the Track Mode switch they have can be freely turned on and off at will, so that's not equivalent to what Volkswagen is doing here.

Tesla sells a $2000 Acceleration Boost package for certain non-Performance trims, which increases performance purely by toggling a software switch. You can buy it like DLC from the Tesla app.

Also, Track Mode isn't available outside of the Performance trim, despite presumably being pure software. Elon has even talked about making it part of the Acceleration Boost package, though I don't think that has materialized yet: https://www.notateslaapp.com/software-updates/upcoming-featu...

Re: Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

#322

Post by simonh » Tue, Aug 19, 2025, 10:50 AM UTC

ciupicri wrote: post #148

simonh wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is also how US companies operate in Europe, e.g. Starbucks in Europe paying enormous royalty fees to the US for the name.

Though Starbucks is a francise, so it's expected.

This isn't the profits of the franchisees, it's the profits of Starbucks.

Re: Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

#323

Post by HK-NC » Tue, Aug 19, 2025, 12:42 PM UTC

Do they realise that their intentions for this company are officially now worse than those under the oversight of Adolf Hitler

Re: Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

#324

Post by plqbfbv » Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 10:05 PM UTC

xnx wrote: post #311

plqbfbv wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I'm way more comfortable with a one-time purchase unlock (kind of SW "license" upgrade) rather than a subscription for hardware that I have 100% of the time. Example: Acceleration Boost is a 2k one-time upgrade. Once you purchase it, you get it forever. EAP and FSD are the same: pay once, get for life. Those who purchased FSD before HW3 also got/get included driving computer upgrade. Of course this was done f…

Do these "upgrades" stay with the cat between owners?

IIRC in Tesla's case (mostly) yes.

I think the only time they remove FSD from resales is when they repurchase the cars to resell themselves and then strip the used ones of FSD/upgrades. With private-to-private, private-to-dealership or dealership-to-private ownership transfers, FSD stays with the car.

In most countries they also have "FSD transfer", which means that if you trade-in your current Tesla when purchasing a new one, your FSD "license" is transferred to the new car.

As far as I recall, I think this article is still valid on this topic: https://www.findmyelectric.com/blog/does-full-self-driving-f...

Re: Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

#325

Post by plqbfbv » Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 10:06 PM UTC

QuiEgo wrote: post #254

plqbfbv wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I'm way more comfortable with a one-time purchase unlock (kind of SW "license" upgrade) rather than a subscription for hardware that I have 100% of the time. Example: Acceleration Boost is a 2k one-time upgrade. Once you purchase it, you get it forever. EAP and FSD are the same: pay once, get for life. Those who purchased FSD before HW3 also got/get included driving computer upgrade. Of course this was done f…

Per the article: > VW says the "optional power upgrade" will cost £16.50 per month or £165 annually - or people can choose to pay £649 for a lifetime subscription Agree it sucks, but there is a lifetime option, just like with Tesla.

Per my post, before the edit:

> And I recognize they have the option of a one-time fee, but of course they're banking on people opting for the low-cost option and forget they have it active.