Toyota starts charging for Key Fob ‘Remote Starter’ functionality

According to the media reports, Toyota has started charging for their remote starter functionality. Owners of Toyota vehicles from 2018 or later would have to pay $8 a month or $80 a year. The owners would need to subscribe to Remote Connect Service.

This function basically lets you start the vehicle without getting inside. There is a button on the key fob through which the car can be started. We have seen the same functionality on some Hyundai cars.

The key fob communicates with the car using radio frequencies. This can be helpful as the owner can pre-heat the car. Interestingly, Toyota’s Remote Connect Service requires a connection to the servers but the remote starter functionality does not require any connection to the servers. Usually, automobile manufacturer charges for functions that require internet connectivity or Bluetooth connectivity but the remote starter functionality does not depend on the Remote Connect Service offered by Toyota.

Also read: Mahindra Thar vs Toyota Fortuner show off-road capabilities

This is not the first time that an automobile manufacturer is charging for services. BMW used to charge for Apple CarPlay. BMW charged an $80 annual subscription or $300 for a 240-month subscription. Usually, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come with an infotainment system.

A premium manufacturer like Porsche’s was not offering Android Auto till now. They added support for Android Auto in March this year. Cadillac charges $25 per month for their Super Cruise autonomous driving system. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz might charge an annual fee of $576 for rear-wheel steering for the EQS sedan.

Toyota rebadging Maruti Suzuki’s vehicles

Currently, Toyota has started rebadging Maruti Suzuki vehicles. They are already selling a rebadged Baleno that Toyota calls Glanza and there is also a rebadged Vitara Brezza that is called Urban Cruiser.

They have also launched the rebadged Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in the South African market. It is called Rumion and they have also started exporting Maruti Ciaz in the foreign market. It is being called Belta and Toyota has also registered the Belta name in the Indian market. They have already discontinued the Yaris and it might now be replaced with the Toyota Belta.

Toyota does not make any cosmetic or mechanical changes to Maruti’s vehicles. Only with the Urban Cruiser, they added a few more paint schemes and dark coloured upholstery. All the vehicles stay mechanically the same. So, they continue to come with the same 1.5-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine.

Toyota Hilux

According to the rumours, Toyota is working on launching the Hilux in the Indian market. It is expected to launch in January 2022. Hilux will be a more premium offering than the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross.

It is based on the IV-2 ladder frame chassis that is also being used on the Toyota Innova Crysta and Fortuner. Hilux measures  5.3-metres in length and has a wheelbase of more than 3-metres.

Most of the design elements will be shared with the Fortuner. So, expect it to get the same seats and dashboard design. The engines will also be shared with the Fortuner. So, it will come with a 2.8-litre diesel engine that produces 204 PS of max power and 500 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. There could also be a 2.4-litre diesel engine for the lower variants.

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