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Nissan drops app support for the original Leaf – are EVs now as disposable as iPhones? | Will Software Defined Vehicles join a long list of 'throwaway' tech?

Will Software Defined Vehicles join a long list of 'throwaway' tech?

Much of the disappointment from owners surrounds the sudden loss of key functionality, such as the ability to remotely heat or cool the vehicle, as well as the option to set up charging schedules that allow batteries to be brimmed when energy tariffs are at their cheapest... all from the convenience of a smartphone. This wasn’t such an issue when vehicles weren’t as connected, as even older ICE cars can easily be upgraded with an infotainment system that plugs into a smartphone and offers much of the same services as its modern counterparts can. (Image credit: Nissan)Considering that 15-year-old combustion engine vehicles are still perfectly serviceable, this sort of timescale seems incredibly near-sighted and it is part of the reason we are witnessing terrible residual values on some of the most expensive EVs, such as Porsche's Taycan.

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