Confirmed: keyless entry, push-to-start, remote climate control & lock/unlock via app

[skidoofast]

That's just crazy. Stuff like that makes the car feel like a car as a service, which I really hope Slate does not get into. If Slate owners want to pay for a hotspot or Sirius, then they should have to buy a Sirius equipped headunit and 5g module separately from a third party.

I agree, I have hotspot on my phone, I have Sirius on my phone, don’t need to purchase another service for those

 

[Luxrage]

^ Agreed, It sounds like most of the trucks functions can be done from the keyfob. I 100% believe they'll need SOME form of app connectivity so they can push updates to the vehicle software (I wouldn't doubt this is something to make the feds happy like when Tesla had to push a software update to make the warning indicators slightly bigger on the dash). I don't need remote start / remote climate control, but I'm sure they second one is more for the battery when charging than us.

I don't see there being a subscription or a required app as that goes against the fleet nature of this truck. Can't imagine they'd have to set up an app for every truck if you have a fleet of ten of these things. Maybe there'll be a fleet manager thing where you can update all of your trucks at once.

Or just give me a USB port on the BMS and I'll update the truck via thumb-stick. Would definitely make it more cyber-security safe than having onboard bluetooth/wifi for a phone connection.

 

[GaRailroader]

Well a key fob is using radio waves and it is good for close range use only. If a car manufacturer is going to provide a smartphone app that will communicate with the car, the car will need to have some sort of wireless connectivity. In the case of Tesla, AT&T is the wireless service provider to the car. When I first bought my 2018 Tesla Model 3, Tesla was paying the AT&T wireless service fees for the car. After a while, they discontinued this practice and the car owner needed to pay for premium connectivity. (it is not required to have premium connectivity, each owner can decide if the connectivity is worth it to them) In the beginning it was $9.99 per month and then they started offering an annual plan of $99 per year. If people are demanding/wanting a smart phone app then the car will need to have some sort of wireless service to the car. I don't think that Slate should have to pay the wireless service fees and not pass them on to the car owner. If an owner wants to use a smart phone app to access their vehicle remotely then they should be paying for that connectivity. It isn't free. Nissan went a different route with their premium connectivity, instead of a wireless service they are trying to use Sirius Satellite service to accomplish the same goal. It was free for the first 3 or 6 months of ownership so I could test it out. It is so bad, I have opted to not pay for the premium connectivity on the Nissan Leaf. On the Tesla Model 3, to me it is worth the $99 per year and we appreciate having that remote connectivity to the car. I don't think the remote connectivity fee should be required, if a buyer doesn't need it then they shouldn't pay for a feature they don't need or want.

 

[metroshot]

Well a key fob is using radio waves and it is good for close range use only. If a car manufacturer is going to provide a smartphone app that will communicate with the car, the car will need to have some sort of wireless connectivity. In the case of Tesla, AT&T is the wireless service provider to the car. When I first bought my 2018 Tesla Model 3, Tesla was paying the AT&T wireless service fees for the car. After a while, they discontinued this practice and the car owner needed to pay for premium connectivity. (it is not required to have premium connectivity, each owner can decide if the connectivity is worth it to them) In the beginning it was $9.99 per month and then they started offering an annual plan of $99 per year. If people are demanding/wanting a smart phone app then the car will need to have some sort of wireless service to the car. I don't think that Slate should have to pay the wireless service fees and not pass them on to the car owner. If an owner wants to use a smart phone app to access their vehicle remotely then they should be paying for that connectivity. It isn't free. Nissan went a different route with their premium connectivity, instead of a wireless service they are trying to use Sirius Satellite service to accomplish the same goal. It was free for the first 3 or 6 months of ownership so I could test it out. It is so bad, I have opted to not pay for the premium connectivity on the Nissan Leaf. On the Tesla Model 3, to me it is worth the $99 per year and we appreciate having that remote connectivity to the car. I don't think the remote connectivity fee should be required, if a buyer doesn't need it then they shouldn't pay for a feature they don't need or want.

Be careful with the RF key fobs these days, as thieves here locally have found a device to mimic your key by "cloning" yours if it's nearby or else rolling a sequence of digital RF keys to unlock and steal your car.

Happened so many times at our local Pasadena, CA archery and fly fishing club locations.

Regarding OTA updates with Ford:
Uses home/work unsecured WiFi to the download packages to the car.
Then my EV gets installation instructions via AT&T.
AT&T is connection is used to autheniticate, install and get a checksum after installation.
This prevents hacked installation packages.

I'm sure most of us would not appreciate getting our cars hacked OTA....

 

[Garbone]

Our 21 Ford is past its 3 year 36. The Ford native navigation always kinda sucked so do not miss it being non functional since Google maps does the job. Paying nothing and the remote AC start, locks an charging management work fine.

 

[metroshot]

Our 21 Ford is past its 3 year 36. The Ford native navigation always kinda sucked so do not miss it being non functional since Google maps does the job. Paying nothing and the remote AC start, locks an charging management work fine.

Did your '21 get the 10.2.0 OTA update for the locking fast charger feature ?

 

[Garbone]

Did your '21 get the 10.2.0 OTA update for the locking fast charger feature ?

No idea, that is the wifes car, as in I got it and she liked it so much I had to get my own. I would go check but she keeps her seat so far forward I really do not like messing with it.

 

[Zorba]

If I pay for the automobile and I own the automobile and I possess the title and the keys to the automobile I shouldn't have to pay a subscription fee to the maker of the automobile to get PERMISSION to use MY automobile. That's EXTORTION.

That's like if a mobster collects a fee from you for "neighborhood protection" except that the protection is from said mobster. Extortion.

I have been driving the same vehicle for the past 27 yrs because I hate modern cars. I was unaware that customers that have already OVERPAID for expensive cars loaded with sensors and computers and electronics and software so F'n complicated that even the manufacturers of those cars can't fix them have sometimes been required to pay subscriptions to get permission to use a feature. We're not talking about getting a data plan for internet connection or paying a monthly fee for OnStar Roadside Service. It's obvious why those are extra. I have no problem with Slate Auto wanting to make supplementary income by selling post-vehicle sale accessories, but there's no way I'm paying a subscription for an app that just gets me basic information from the vehicle's computer or use remote start, or something that doesn't require human-based customer service like roadside service.

Subscriptions are just another form of nickle-and-diming consumers to death and there's TONS of evidence out there that consumers are fed up with the subscription business model. If Slate Auto does subscriptions for basic car functions I will not be purchasing their products. I'll keep my Jeep running for another 27 yrs.

I'm with you. I'm interested in the Slate because it seems to be something WITHOUT "technology". I worked in High Tech my entire career, and feel that automobiles are NOT the place for computers of any kind. I refuse to pay for subscriptions of any type - Adobe can go pound sand for bringing it into the mainstream.

I too have been driving an older vehicle, in my case an '85 MBZ 300SD for the last 25 years - and will keep it running before I buy something with all the computerized nonsense. And I *MOST* especially do NOT want anything whatsoever to do with a smartphone, much less a smartphone connected to my car!

Ok, so the Slate apparently has software "somewhere" - which doesn't make me particularly happy. BUT - can I do updates from a COMPUTER instead of a blasted smartphone? That's how I keep my Garmins up to date among other things.

 

[Trace26]

Ok, so the Slate apparently has software "somewhere" - which doesn't make me particularly happy. BUT - can I do updates from a COMPUTER instead of a blasted smartphone? That's how I keep my Garmins up to date among other things.

Probably

 

[Zorba]

I don't even need a fob for that matter, "keyless" is yet another pseudo-feature that solves a problem nobody had. Only one of my 3 cars has a fob, and its a minor nuisance - but I'll take a fob over a smartphone any day of the week!

 

[OldGoat]

We’ve been subscriptioned half to death in this day and age. No wonder many are struggling financially. The Ford Pass app is working fine for me and cost $0.
i avoided all the paywall ”features” but can handle charging duties, cabin temps, service functions, from phone, tablet or laptop remotely. I never used remote start on my ICE vehicles and rarely on EV usually to cool cabin, not heat.
i carry the keyfob which is smaller and easier than always having the phone with me but appreciate that others would wither and die if their cellphone wasn’t in hand. So at least at this time, Ford has a good set of options Slate should emulate.

 

[E90400K]

I don't even need a fob for that matter, "keyless" is yet another pseudo-feature that solves a problem nobody had. Only one of my 3 cars has a fob, and its a minor nuisance - but I'll take a fob over a smartphone any day of the week!

You are so non-effete!

 

[E90400K]

I'm with you. I'm interested in the Slate because it seems to be something WITHOUT "technology". I worked in High Tech my entire career, and feel that automobiles are NOT the place for computers of any kind. I refuse to pay for subscriptions of any type - Adobe can go pound sand for bringing it into the mainstream.

I too have been driving an older vehicle, in my case an '85 MBZ 300SD for the last 25 years - and will keep it running before I buy something with all the computerized nonsense. And I *MOST* especially do NOT want anything whatsoever to do with a smartphone, much less a smartphone connected to my car!

Ok, so the Slate apparently has software "somewhere" - which doesn't make me particularly happy. BUT - can I do updates from a COMPUTER instead of a blasted smartphone? That's how I keep my Garmins up to date among other things.

I have a 2022 Bronco. I simply just turned off the modem in the car when I bought it. It doesn't update, has no subscriptions, the Sych 4 screen has even disappeared, and I removed Android Auto from my phone. It is as if I went back in time, like when the Americans won WWII!

 

[Zorba]

I have a 2022 Bronco. I simply just turned off the modem in the car when I bought it. It doesn't update, has no subscriptions, the Sych 4 screen has even disappeared, and I removed Android Auto from my phone. It is as if I went back in time, like when the Americans won WWII!

That's exactly what I would do if I were saddled with such a vehicle, except I don't have a smartphone in the first place.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

So, my spark can be be pre-conditioned via my fob or whatever they're calling the onstar app nowadays with a subscription. They actually bricked app functionality with the spark after an update, and don't seem to have ever bothered fixing it. Luckily while my garage is not within key fob range, it is within key-fob-held-to-my-head range, lol. I cancelled my onstar subscription and unplugged the antenna after they got called out for selling driving data to insurance companies.