I am hanging on to my car which is going to a decade old soon because it does not bristle with technology that I don't want. Given my options in the market today, not sure if there is a path for a buyer like me to get a new car that leaves them alone. I don't much like the sound of where cars are headed:
How would you feel about paying $5 each month for the ability to lock and unlock your car from a distance through an app? What about a $25-per-month charge for advanced cruise control or $10 to access heated seats? What if those charges continued long after your car was paid off? As vehicles become increasingly connected to the internet, car companies aim to rake in billions by having customers pay monthly or annual subscriptions to access certain features. Not content with the relatively low-margin business of building and selling cars, automakers are eager to pull down Silicon Valley-style profits. But unlike with Netflix, you won't be able to use your ex-girlfriend's uncle's login in your new BMW.
There are a lot of car buyers like me who only need a reliable and cost-efficient way to get from one point to another. The car is not a form of self-expression or fulfilling higher level needs that go beyond transportation. All of what is being proposed for the future of cars excludes customers like me entirely.
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