As the article suggests level 3 autonomous driving really doesn’t sound like something i’d pay so much for. Level 4 is where it gets interesting, but that is the big jump. And I really don’t want to know how much manufacturers will charge for it, when they ask this much for level 3.
I agree that companies shouldn’t be allowed to charge subscriptions for capabilities that the product is capable by itself. So without needing access to something like servers that also generate reoccurring costs.
On the other hand I can understand how a reoccurring charge based on usage might make sense, if the manufacturer is liable for the vehicles actions while the system is active. That’s basically a insurance charge. However it feels like these things shouldn’t be bundled together.
There are no immediate plans for the OEMs to sell level 4 cars. They would have to charge you at least ten times as much for it if you compare the hardware of level 3 Mercedes with a Waymo taxi. Level 4 will only be available as taxi service for quite a while.
The article mentions “2030” but that seems incredibly naive to me. They will probably just expand the use cases for Drive Pilot until then: Higher speeds, more street types, night time, more weather conditions, more edge cases like construction zones, etc.
More precisely, you can record yourself stuck in a traffic jam.
Drivers can activate Mercedes’s technology, called Drive Pilot, when certain conditions are met, including in heavy traffic jams, during the daytime, on specific California and Nevada freeways, and when the car is traveling less than 40 mph.
When the public started not owning things and companies saw that it enhanced gross sales they doubled down. IMO the only two ways we’ll see this change is when folks vote with their wallets, or more likely, govt does its job.
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