The German car-maker says its “optional power upgrade” is designed to give customers more choice.

  • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
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    22 hours ago

    German car industry has one foot in the grave. The German car industry lobbyist have successfully weakened or delayed many EU climate and sustainability initiatives. I fucking hope the German car industry collapses sooner than later and weaken Germany’s political power in the EU.

    • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org
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      13 hours ago

      German car industry has one foot in the grave.

      I wonder if that is true though. Sure, they lobby that way when they want government subsidies.

      They might be late to the e-car game (but the above article applies to e-cars only anyhow).

      But all that largely applies to most car industries across the globe, yet they do adapt, if slowly. Except those under totalitarian control, they adapt faster.

    • tal@lemmy.today
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      21 hours ago

      German car industry has one foot in the grave.

      I think that all or close to it auto manufacturers have some form of subscription service now with monthly fees. It’s not something specific to German manufacturers.

      randomly picks from this list of auto manufacturers

      Buick.

      https://www.buick.com/ownercenter/onstar/learn

      OnStar One Super Cruise

      for vehicles with Super Cruise

      $64.99/mo.

      Save up to 16% by choosing this plan

      OnStar Connect Plus

      • In-Vehicle Wi-Fi® Hotspot

      • Music

      • Podcasts

      • Audiobooks

      • News

      • Video Streaming (if properly equipped)

      • Games (if properly equipped)

      • Internet Browser (if properly equipped)

      Safety & Security

      • Stolen Vehicle Assistance

      • Safety Services

      • OnStar Guardian App

      • Roadside Assistance

      Super Cruise

      • Hands-Free Driver Assistance Technology

      • Turn Signal Activated Lane Change

      • Automatic Lane Change (if properly equipped)

      • Hands-Free Trailering (if properly equipped)

      • Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe
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        6 hours ago

        I mean you picked an American car company. They’ve been garbage for decades, I’ve owned exactly one, a 90’s Taurus, probably the most reliable American car we’ve seen in decades, and it just barely approaches Japanese cars for reliability and maintenance.

        I say this as someone who’s worked on every brand of car, from the 1940’s to today. You can’t give me an American car (or German, or just European). I refuse to own anything other than Honda or Toyota any more. I’ll sacrifice style and features for a vehicle that just works for 100-200k miles, or more.

        Buick has been a style-over-substance brand in the GM lineup since the 80’s, at least. Not that any GM is particularly good, Buick just makes it worse with cheap gimmicks. Same with all Chrysler products.

        But yea, all brands include some nonsense today.

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        20 hours ago

        Is that subscription for OnStar or Super Cruise? One is a service with legitimate ongoing operating costs; the other is not.

    • doingthestuff@lemy.lol
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      21 hours ago

      I have German heritage, as does my wife. I have lived in Germany. Looking at the Germany of today, I can’t wait to see its power collapse. They might (still) be the most unworthily arrogant people on the planet.