Comment on Elon Musk reveals Tesla software-locked cheapest Model Y, offers 40-60 more miles of range

• tabular@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  You don’t have to buy the car.

  If it’s a profitable decision then it has the potential to become the de facto standard standard and so simply not buying it isn’t enough.

  The manufacturer using software to lock use of hardware in people’s own cars is an attack on ownership rights.

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  • ch00f@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    When it comes to things that are trivial to include but locked behind exorbitant paywalls (i.e. heated seats), I agree.

    However, range/battery capacity is the primary price differentiator for EVs and also the primary cost for manufacturing. Finding a way to offer options that suit the needs of different people at varying prices just allows more people to enter the market.

    to become the de facto standard

    I feel like it might be nice to have a sliding scale of ranges available for people who have a sliding scale of needs. If I need a second car strictly for my 20 mile commute, it might be nice to have an option to pay less for 100 miles of range over 200. And I assume if a market is established for low-range EVs, manufacturers will compete with each other on how to deliver that for the best price. Perhaps if the market is large enough, Tesla will find it better to actually remove the extra batteries and put them in other cars.

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    • tabular@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      If manufacturers made parts available for longer (or perhaps at all in some cases?) then 2nd-hand cars already make for a cheaper option.

      I believe artificially limiting hardware is an unacceptable for a health society because proprietary software gives the developer power over their users. Even people with good intentions will be tempted to use that power at the user’s expense. A software update could suddenly make that 20 mil commute no longer possible unless you agree to pay more, or accept a new terms of service where you lose the right to sue them agree to forced arbitration or lose access to even using your vehicle.

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      • ch00f@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

        proprietary software gives the developer power over their users.

        Agree here, but that’s a much larger issue than just this particular pricing structure.

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