[RahulNagaraj]

Audi recently unveiled the new A3 sedan in the European market. Reports now state that customers of the new compact sedan in Europe will have to pay subscription fees to access certain features of the car.



As per reports, customers wanting to access features like adaptive cruise control, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, automatic high beams, and even dual-zone climate control will have to pay a subscription fee. The exact amount is yet to be announced, although customers can choose varying periods ranging from a three-month subscription to a three-year plan. There is also an option for customers to purchase the feature outright.

Once the payment is made, Audi will open access to its App Store, from where users can download features like CarPlay and others.

Audi is yet to announce whether the subscription plan is specific to Europe or could be introduced in other international markets as well.

Source: TheTruthAboutCars

Link to Team-BHP news

[saikishor]

Good thing that Audi gave an option of making an outright purchase. Though this subscription model will help companies to generate constant revenue, in simple words this subscription model for a basic feature(by luxury car standards) like dual zone climate control is outright cruel and horrible.

[Blue_Silver]

If I remember right BMW tried a similar subscription for their cars, if correct for heated seats and failed miserably. To which they had to remove the entire process in 2023.

The simplistic way for this should be to order made cars with all you require. Not sure why this has to be attached to an app-based service.

Sometimes I feel we complicate things for ourselves when things could be done by being simple.

[sh3lby]

Shame on any brand that does this. I don't care about your infinite revenue model - I pay for the hardware, I won't pay extra to use a subscription. Especially when it's been perfectly fine until now.

[StarrySky]

Since Audi is planning the subscription model for Europe, I will pen down my view on this from my own experience.

All my cars in Finland have been leased via my employer. The lease is for 3 years (36 months). I am allowed to add optional features to the car, up to some percentage of its original price.

Now, as you can imagine, I will end up paying only a percentage of the car's price during the 36-month lease. However, if the original lease value is X euros per month, adding an optional features priced at 1000 euros straight away adds about 28 euros (1000/36) to the monthly lease value. In other words, I will pay for the optional feature in full within the 36-month lease. Not just that, when the car's total purchase price goes up, so does something called "taxable value", based on which I pay a car benefit tax (some kind of fringe benefit tax).

With a subscription model, I could end up paying less per month to get the feature for the 3-year lease period. I can save some money on the car benefit tax as well.

So I will not reject this model outright. For any future leases, I will certainly check if subscription for certain features will work out to be cheaper.

Those who are buying the car can always opt to purchase the feature. Or if they are in the habit of changing cars often, they also have the option of subscribing to features. Those who are buying the car used also have the option of subscribing to any feature which the original purchaser did not opt for.

[Mad Max]

I wonder what happens when a subscription runs out and the car is driving down a freeway. Suddenly, adaptive cruise comes off? Climate control resets? Headlights dim off in the middle of the turn?

This would be immensely funny from a spectator POV.

IMO, other than the taxation benefits StarrySky mentioned above, it seems a nightmare to implement and manage. Not to mention payment options will now be in Audi's hands (credit card info, authentication etc.). The cost to maintain something like that would drive any profit into the ground, especially with strict EU regulations around personal privacy etc.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

I wonder what happens when a subscription runs out and the car is driving down a freeway. Suddenly, adaptive cruise comes off? Climate control resets? Headlights dim off in the middle of the turn?

This would be immensely funny from a spectator POV.

IMO, other than the taxation benefits StarrySky mentioned above, it seems a nightmare to implement and manage. Not to mention payment options will now be in Audi's hands (credit card info, authentication etc.). The cost to maintain something like that would drive any profit into the ground, especially with strict EU regulations around personal privacy etc.

It will enforce during start of vehicle I think. So no turning off at traffic signal

I think this process might simplify their manufacturing process with hardware becoming common and only software can be used to turn on or off. But if majority do not use subscription, it will work only if hardware costs are very less or the vendor charges almost same for the equipment.

[Redex]

I am just thankful that at the age of 68, there will still be enough "conventional" cars about that will out live me. I don't need or want all the electro technical mumbo jumbo, connectivity, touch screens, self driving bla bla bla.
I work in my son's garage as a mechanic. That has given me the opportunity to drive hundreds of different models.
I rate the newer cars by a few basic requirements.
1. Can I find/turn on the radio ?
2. Can I work the heater ?
3. Can I find/release the handbrake ?
4. Can I find the bonnet release ?
5. Is there a dip stick to check the oil level ?

I drive a 20 year old Ford Focus 1.8 TDDI Ghia Estate with over 300,000 Kms run so far. It has only broken down once, at 220,000 Kms when the Bosch VP30 Injection pump failed (a known problem).The car has been worked hard for its whole life, carrying heavy loads, used as a mobile workshop etc etc.

The secret to it's longevity is allowing warm up and cool down times, with routine maintenance by myself and oil/filter changes at 8,000 Kms (5,000 miles).
The only modification I have made is remapping from 89BHP to 120BHP and 200NM to 260NM Torque. (Not stressing the engine as these figures are the same as the later Common Rail version using the same basic engine). Originally the Lynx engine from 1986.

Comfortable, reliable, excellent placement of physical controls, real switches, knobs, levers all intuitively placed. An absolute pleasure to drive.
I get 18.8 km/l and spend 80% of my time driving at 110 to 125 kmh when conditions allow. Good for at least another 100,000 Kms !!!
When the time comes I may just drop in a lower mileage lump.