Section 1201 and Automotive DRM: The Future is Locked

This is the Renault Zoe. It’s like most EVs on the road, with its limited range, limited power, and limited usability.

Unlike the other EVs, however, the Zoe comes with DRM attached to its battery pack. In short: If you value your ability to drive the Zoe at all, then you will submit to a rental contract with the pack’s manufacturer. Should you fail to pay the rent or your lease term expires, Renault can and will turn your Zoe into an expensive, useless paperweight by preventing the pack’s ability to be recharged, consequences be damned.

It’s only the beginning.

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  • Analoggrotto Toyota will have refreshed almost the entire lineup by next year, sure they phoned a lot of it in (Land Cruiser-GX, GH-TX, Century...) but they are ready with fresh product instead of cancelling the entire show. Wish the GR V6 could have survived :(.
  • Lou_BC I find it interesting that many act like it's just UAW jobs at risk from "robots". 50% of the total workforce over the next 20 years is at risk. That 50% is predominantly unskilled labour.
  • Doug brockman No. It wouldnt. EV is a loser technology
  • Sgeffe I'm wondering if any tooling or whatnot from the original was used in the production of this beast.
  • Sgeffe I usually pass by the UCOTD posts, but I had to ask on this: what, pray tell, is with the sideview mirrors off a C5 Corvette??!! Yikes!