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Mazda's $10 subscription for remote start sparks backlash after killing open source workaround via DMCA takedown (www.carscoops.com)

submitted 2 months ago by ForgottenFlux to c/technology

271 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Mazda recently surprised customers by requiring them to sign up for a subscription in order to keep certain services. Now, notable right-to-repair advocate Louis Rossmann is calling out the brand.

It’s important to clarify that there are two very different types of remote start we’re talking about here. The first type is the one many people are familiar with where you use the key fob to start the vehicle. The second method involves using another device like a smartphone to start the car. In the latter, connected services do the heavy lifting.

Transition to paid services

What is wild is that Mazda used to offer the first option on the fob. Now, it only offers the second kind, where one starts the car via phone through its connected services for a $10 monthly subscription, which comes to $120 a year. Rossmann points out that one individual, Brandon Rorthweiler, developed a workaround in 2023 to enable remote start without Mazda’s subscription fees.

However, according to Ars Technica, Mazda filed a DMCA takedown notice to kill that open-source project. The company claimed it contained code that violated “[Mazda’s] copyright ownership” and used “certain Mazda information, including proprietary API information.”

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[–] kameecoding -3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (10 children)

Remote start of any kind is a luxury

Who said it was not?

Physical keys work totally fine and add like two seconds of time to the process.

YOu know except for the fucking case I described where you don't live in a house so the keyfob might not reach so you need some other way to connect to the car to be able to remote start it.

it’s wild to me that someone would defend internet car controls as any way important or even desirable.

not my fault you struggle with social skills and can't relate to other people

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (9 children)

I mean, his point is still valid. Take the 2-3 mins it takes to go down and start the car.

We managed before so let's not pretend that wireless fob are necessary.

[–] kameecoding -4 points 2 months ago (6 children)

And then what genius? Should I sit in the cold car or stand next to the cold car while it heats up?

The point of the remote start is to avoid this, are you all some brain damaged kind that doesn't understand user experience?

[–] pendingdeletion 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I agree with your entire premise on the usefulness of remote start for cold winters. I live in Canada, though I do not have remote start.

All that being said, I think it’s wild that you accuse others of lacking “social skills” while calling everyone “brain damaged” because they didn’t immediately agree with you.

[–] kameecoding -2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I have low tolerance for fools who cannot understand something after it was explained 3 times.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I live in Canada dickwad, I know what cold winters are, so cut your whining.

Remote start is a great QoL, and that's why scummy companies hide it behind a paywall.

If enough people pay for the subscription, companies will keep doing it.

So the first step is push back and stop buying from companies that does that.

Second step is to not pay for the subscription when all the companies will be doing it, because let's be real, all car manufacturers will follow suit.

So you will have to either stay in your car, which sucks, or find a workaround like a second key or , in my case, a code on the door.

It will inconvenience a lot of people and car manufacturers are counting on that to keep pushing that shit

[–] kameecoding 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

A little sensitive aren't you? Taking offense for something clearly not aimed at you, lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I am the person that you called brain damaged. Clearly some reading comprehension issues.