German car making giant Volkswagen (VW) has introduced a subscription for UK customers wanting to increase the power of some of its electric cars.
Those who buy an eligible car in its ID.3 range can choose to pay extra if they want to unlock the full power of the engine inside the vehicle.
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.
Good points. I do feel like I remember that the Full Self Driving was a paid upgrade and I’ve seen enough stories of Tesla locking people out of things via update. For something like FSD, does it throw you off any driving it after the trial ends, like do you get reliant on some of the upgraded features and then forget ever when they get turned back off? Having something as a potatnetial aid or safety feature that is potentially sometimes there and sometimes not seems a bit weird. Something like VW’s speed limiter would just make you slower, but if you get used to the car steering/braking and then another day it doesn’t, that seems a bit questionable. You sound like you pay attention as you dont like it especially anyway, but just for your average Joe.
FSD (and stock Autopilot, for that matter) are systems you engage while driving, similar to Cruise Control. I feel like the capabilities are different enough that the average driver wouldn’t get too used to FSD over a couple week period.
For me as someone who drives a decent amount of country backroads, I’m wondering whether the stock Autopilot obeys stop signs. I know it didn’t when I first got the car, and I wasn’t in a hurry to test if they added the functionality. I could see maybe someone renting a Tesla with FSD, getting used to it, then not realizing that the next Tesla they rented without FSD was going to blow through a stop sign.
That makes sense. Thank you for explaining it. I’ve only played with Hyundai’s and Subaru’s smart cruise and lane assist, and it doesn’t take long to know it’s nothing like what I’d picture FSD to be. My car is a 2008, so I’ve only got basic CC.