Toyota kills physical remote start, digital function will be pay-to-play
Physical key fobs won't feature a remote start button any longer. But Toyota's Connected Services will still offer the function, for a price.
Toyota owners who want to fire up their cars remotely will need to pay as the automaker strikes remote start buttons from its physical key fobs. The automaker on Wednesday told Roadshow the function will no longer be included with the physical car key as it shifts to digital services and a subscription-based method.
Here's how it breaks down. For 2018 to 2020 vehicles with a remote start function on the key fob, the feature will work for three years over a "trial period." Even though an owner's fob features the button, the function will be deactivated after that three-year timeframe. To regain the remote start feature, owners will need to shop the brand's Connected Services for Remote Connect. The price is $80 per year or $8 per month, which also includes a host of other digital functions available through the Toyota smartphone app.
No new Toyota vehicles will feature the remote start function on a key fob. "As we move to more digital experiences within the Toyota app, key fob remote start is not a feature we actively market," the company said. For certain 2020 model year vehicles and newer, owners receive a 10-year trial for Connected Services. In other words, there's a good chance owners won't need to pony up the cash to use remote start since they get over a decade of free use. But, eventually, it will expire for good and require a Remote Connect subscription.
Although it's a controversial move in an era where automakers continue to seek out revenue streams via subscriptions, Toyota said, "We frequently incorporate feedback from customers to ensure we're offering features that are useful and enhance their ownership experiences."
