Tangentially related ...
... Automakers love connected vehicles, but support isn't open-ended.
Do you use your vehicle's app to precool the cabin on a scorching day, confirm the doors are locked from bed, or have the car automatically call for help when the airbags go off?
Savor those connected, cloudbased conveniences while you can -- the clock is already ticking on their obsolescence. In a few short years, you may be driving today's vehicle without many of the features you currently enjoy. ...
The day the signal dies
There is no single event or element that triggers the end"it's a combination of things. As vehicles age, OE on-board hardware becomes obsolete as cellular providers replace older technology and automakers stop investing in aging back-end stacks and features. Manufacturer contracts for connected services can also expire.
Taken together, these factors mean that time ultimately kills cloud-based vehicle services.
In 2022, many US cellular carriers, including AT&T, TMobile/Sprint, and Verizon, shut down their 3G networks to create system capacity for upcoming 4G and 5G rollouts. When the 3G signal finally ceased, vehicles with the technology lost their connected cloud-based services (Porsche, Nissan, and Volkswagen were just a few of the automakers affected).
Lexus owners felt this shift acutely. The company's Enform connectivity, which relied on the 3G network and was fitted to nearly all 2010"2017 models, went dark overnight because the hardware simply wasn't forwardcompatible. (Lexus refunded owners for paid time left, while opportunistic dealers suggested that frustrated owners upgrade to a new Lexus that supported current technology.) ...
