I don't get this. I already have unlimited data with my cell phone, why the heck would I pay for a plan on my car? I get 3 years free with the purchase then it will never be renewed. My phone does hotspots just like the car too....
Well my wifes phone does, and any other modern one.
This whole "I need data to use my car" is absurd. I am not trying to argue with you, I really don't understand it.
Think of it this way - in previous years you needed to either pay for the "Navigation Package" or pay for a higher trim level to get it. I'm not certain how it was on the pre-21+ GM SUV generation, but amongst all automotive OEMs in the last 10+ years navigation was an add-on and you paid for it one way or another. The map data loaded on your vehicle when it was new was out-of-date immediately and depending on where you live could really get annoying because new roads won't show up. Your vehicle OEM would send you a "new map data" offer usually after a year and it would be ~$100 to update the map in your vehicle.
For '22+ GM full-size SUVs, every trim level gets the map functionality pre-loaded, but if you want to use it you need to pay for it monthly. The advantage is that it's always up-to-date map data and doesn't cost extra when you buy the vehicle.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the OnStar "data plan" is necessarily a good thing, but you have to look at built-in navigation as an expense. The old way was to pay for it up front and then pay to keep it up to date. The new way is to pay for it monthly through a subscription. Ultimately, the subscription becomes more expensive in the long-run and hence why the world is going to SaaS.
