A Poll on Slates current direction - has it changed?

[FlyHappy]

@Matrix Girl , this is for you.
Today, you expressed a desire to know if others felt how you do. I hope I've captured the spirit of your concern.

 

[Gladstone]

Can you provide context for what you think has changed?

afaik nothing has changed about the telematics and it's completely optional, most people complaining about it look to be misunderstanding what it does or think it's required.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Can you provide context for what you think has changed?

afaik nothing has changed about the telematics and it's completely optional, most people complaining about it look to be misunderstanding what it does or think it's required.

Agree. Thought that was a nothing burger

 

[Moe]

I voted No because I still have a choice, but make no mistake,

Slate has become like every other automaker in selling a cellular subscription to Remote Start/preheating/precooling and remote vehicle information, as well as that will send vehicle data to their server(s).

They don’t advertise this, but the Telematics Module supports Wi-Fi meaning they could offer a higher level with hotspot and it supports Bluetooth, meaning it could offer digital key as well as Slate app access to the car without plugging into the USB-C. It connects into the same USB hub as the phone. But to reiterate, it is optional and if security is your priority you don’t have to buy it and subscribe.

All this being said, this is what some of Slate’s customers want. I used cellular Remote Start from my office before I retired and it was a real blessing in winter. Different strokes for different folks and Slate offers a choice.

 

[AZFox]

Can you provide context for what you think has changed?

I'm also curious how, specifically, someone could think Slate isn't the vehicle they once thought it was going to be.

In an early video Eric Keipper mentioned that the original team developed some detailed design guidelines and, along the way, they spent a lot of effort preventing scope creep away from those guidelines.

The Telematics Mdule is something necessary for fleets, I didn't anticipate that, but that doesn't mean a Telematics Module wasn't planned from the beginning.

 

[sodamo]

No, I don’t believe anything has changed except my awareness. There are things, safety type mostly, that are mandated and I was unaware.

 

[Johnologue]

What? I haven't heard of anything changing. Is this really about the telematics module? It's just a cellular modem, it's an optional module, and the subscription is for "service", not a "subscription service".

That means it's presumably just an internet connection, which isn't free - I believe automakers often include it for "free", at least for a limited time, since they want their vehicles to be connected. They just add more subscription fees on top of that for "special" features.

I doubt the telematics module was Faricy's idea. I'm not happy about them replacing Chris Barman with a McKinsey and Co. Senior Advisor with a tech-oriented history, but I also haven't seen any changes that I'd blame on him...aside from a couple of job listings that included AI workflow talk that seemingly showed up around the price reveal, but I haven't seen anything like that since then...

Nevermind, I checked and there's actually quite a bit of AI stuff there now. I'll blame Faricy for that, since at least a few are business/e-commerce related.
"Familiarity with Claude AI, Cowork, or Claude Code is a plus."

Just don't get slop code in the damn truck...

Edit: Make no mistake - I don't see the Slate Truck at any risk of "enshittification" right now. I don't think this is going to substantially change the product they're selling or how they make money.

Might change how they sell things - one of the descriptions involved a chatbot that outfits a Slate truck "conversationally", which sounds unimaginably annoying and stupid. That's most of what I'm worried about: Annoying and stupid things, not "evil".

 

[FlyHappy]

to be clear, I'm a "No, nothing has changed" vote, I was just trying to do @Matrix Girl a solid after she re-opened the old "Dream has died" thread with this:

I am glad to see somebody bring this up and hopefully it will start a much needed discussion here on the forum.

I have been watching the same developments in horror. I got in because I was going to be able to get the "no frills" vehicle that I had dreamed of for my last car purchase. Now everything is changing and I correlate it with the engineering department leaving the company leadership and the marketing team coming on along with Faricy.

I'm not clued into how the polling that goes on here works. However, if somebody is interesting setting something up, it would be interesting to see just how many folks put money down because they wanted the option to buy a mechanically and technologically stripped down base vehicle. I'm curious to know just how many peers I have out there.

 

[Moe]

@Matrix Girl ‘s post is out of context without what she quoted

Sorry to hear. I am watching for future remote connectivity tech announcements closely. From the “strip everything out except what makes it drive” language in the reveal event, the remote app connectivity and subscription fee comment if true are shocking.

These members seem to be under the mistaken impression that all FN have remote app connectivity and a subscription fee.

 

[sodamo]

Still hoping Matrix Girl comes back to clarify, but probably not.

 

[E90400K]

I think only that SLATE has moved on the "SKU of One" motto. It's now more like "SKU of a Few". With "It's Best if You Order the SUV from the Factory", now. And now some DIY's are "better left to professionals".

Not big deals and not game changers in my view.

 

[RetiredOnPaper]

After 8 years of Model 3 ownership, I was ready to go (back) to a pickup. It was going to be a Cybertruck. But, delays, price, and the end product not being what was promoted started my doubts. Once politics entered, I left. For me it's not just the needless and redundant tech, but I don't need or want a supersized SUV with an oversized trunk. I was considering the Telo, but then the Slate appeared and hit all the right notes. They are right. my phone is tech enough. The only tech I will add is a push button radio. Not because I need it. I just want it to have that 1960s vibe.
If you want a rock crawler, a 0 to 60 in 2 seconds, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...God Bless you; go get it. I just want a small pickup to do small pickup things.

 

[tubes]

Still hoping Matrix Girl comes back to clarify, but probably not.

She seems to log on every now and then. I sent a DM to notify her of this thread. The way this forum works, you can't ignore a DM because it presents a large pop-up.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

What? I haven't heard of anything changing. Is this really about the telematics module? It's just a cellular modem, it's an optional module, and the subscription is for "service", not a "subscription service".

That means it's presumably just an internet connection, which isn't free - I believe automakers often include it for "free", at least for a limited time, since they want their vehicles to be connected. They just add more subscription fees on top of that for "special" features.

I doubt the telematics module was Faricy's idea. I'm not happy about them replacing Chris Barman with a McKinsey and Co. Senior Advisor with a tech-oriented history, but I also haven't seen any changes that I'd blame on him...aside from a couple of job listings that included AI workflow talk that seemingly showed up around the price reveal, but I haven't seen anything like that since then...

Nevermind, I checked and there's actually quite a bit of AI stuff there now. I'll blame Faricy for that, since at least a few are business/e-commerce related.
"Familiarity with Claude AI, Cowork, or Claude Code is a plus."

Just don't get slop code in the damn truck...

Edit: Make no mistake - I don't see the Slate Truck at any risk of "enshittification" right now. I don't think this is going to substantially change the product they're selling or how they make money.

Might change how they sell things - one of the descriptions involved a chatbot that outfits a Slate truck "conversationally", which sounds unimaginably annoying and stupid. That's most of what I'm worried about: Annoying and stupid things, not "evil".

Sounds like you have fodder for a future YT video, Brother John.

 

[E90400K]

After 8 years of Model 3 ownership, I was ready to go (back) to a pickup. It was going to be a Cybertruck. But, delays, price, and the end product not being what was promoted started my doubts. Once politics entered, I left. For me it's not just the needless and redundant tech, but I don't need or want a supersized SUV with an oversized trunk. I was considering the Telo, but then the Slate appeared and hit all the right notes. They are right. my phone is tech enough. The only tech I will add is a push button radio. Not because I need it. I just want it to have that 1960s vibe.
If you want a rock crawler, a 0 to 60 in 2 seconds, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...God Bless you; go get it. I just want a small pickup to do small pickup things.

What I've never understood about Tesla was the need to have a huge screen to project a map upon. It's understandable that EV need map and routing tech above and beyond what ICEV require due to the more involved requirement to monitor and manage fuel replenishment.

Considering though EV are still best for local use and home charging does a Tesla or any EV need to have a constant map up while driving? It is neat tech and all, but I've never seen the need for a constant large display. I think most people 90% of their driving is local and well known to them. I've always thought the ideal EV set up would be a removable big screen for the dash if and when you'd need/want one.

And for me, Mr. Dinoboomer, turn-by-turn directions via Google Maps is good enough. It works for local addresses where I know pretty much where I'm going except for the "last mile". And it works equally as well in unfamiliar territory. I'd bet 70% of young people (not familiar with paper maps) don't understand cartography.

Which is why SLATE has the ideal solution with their BYOD motif. You can bring any sized screen you feel you need for the application, or none at all.