There are more and more signs that the automotive industry wants to use it too. And if digital rights management gains popularity in the automotive industry, even more manufacturers will move to subscription or service-based business models. Just as BMW recently made heated seats a subscription service.
A Japanese engineer named Ryuichi Moriya in 1983 created a software maintenance system, the first example of DRM technology, using a combination of encryption and special hardware. This concept soon practically saved music publishing, and now the automotive industry is trying to take advantage of this technology.
DRM in cars
This is not the first time that car manufacturers have tried to build DRM into cars. In 2013, the Renault Zoe came with a rented battery that owners could not replace without contacting an authorized dealer. In addition, the car’s DRM could prevent batteries from charging in the event of tampering, so the car essentially turned into an expensive paperweight, reports Electronic Products.
As the advent of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids reshapes the automotive industry, the idea that a manufacturer can destroy a car at the push of a button does not inspire consumer confidence.
Something similar has been tried by Toyota using the remote start feature on post-2018 models. The Toyota purchase included a free three-year subscription to Toyota Connected Services. When the subscription expired, the remote start feature was also removed, unless owners were willing to pay additional subscription fees.
The company explained this move by saying that this feature required a cellular monthly fee. Cars built in the early stages of the technology’s development relied on a 3G mobile network, which will be discontinued in 2022. Toyota has improved these cars so that the feature no longer requires a subscription, but consumers still don’t remember this decision in good taste in response to consumers keeping their cars longer. From heated seats and steering wheel to self-driving features, even extra power or rear-wheel steering, subscription technology can be connected to any paid or subscription service.
Auto as a Service
Every few months someone tacks an “as a service” tag on something we’re used to in an attempt to charge extra for it or change our perception. The purpose of turning something into a service is to charge for what we are already using.
When BMW closed its heated seats behind paywalls in the European market, it turned convenience into a “comfort-as-a-service.” Prominent manufacturers such as BMW, GM, Hyundai and others are working to convert many of their value-added services into mandatory subscriptions.
GM is at the forefront of this. announced that the OnStar service, which was previously optional, will become mandatory in new models.New customers who do not want to pay for something they may never use have another option: they can pay the entire amount upfront, while costs range from $1,500 to $1,675 for a three-year plan.The price is factored into the price of the car, so if someone decides to never activate their subscription to the service, they’ll still be paying another $1,500 on top of the car’s price.However, it looks like
Can consumers fight back?
There is nothing individual consumers can do about the spread of DRM. or moving to a service model, will require a concerted effort across the industry and may even require legislature intervention.
Several countries are working on legislation that will ban new combustion engine vehicles between 2025 and . Keeping old cars when the infrastructure to support and operate them no longer exists puts buyers at a distinct disadvantage, forcing them to buy a new car with DRM and all the subscription services a manufacturer can come up with. The easiest way to fight DRM is to start resistance before the technology has a foothold in the industry.
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