Mercedes-Benz is offering its EV buyers in the USA new subscription options. For instance, $25 per year lets the company assist the police in tracking down your ride if it gets stolen. Another subscription can be purchased to cripple the car’s capabilities, making it safer for beginners to drive.
The first feature is called Stolen Vehicle Assistance and is designed to transmit the location of the stolen car to the company. Mercedes says it will speed up the search and recover process, although owners will still have to perform certain standard procedures themselves first.
The owner of the car may contact the Customer Help Center at any time, but the location data will only be submitted to the search crew as long as there is an official theft claim registered with the police and a case is opened with a number.
The other two options both come in at $16 per year. Beginner Driver imposes limits on the electric powertrain, resulting in smoother acceleration, always-on ESP, restricted Sport drive modes and a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). The company believes it will be enough for budding drivers to get used to the handling in a calmer and more forgiving environment.
Valet Service will further clamp down on the speed, reducing it to 80 km/h (50 mph). The electronics will automatically lock up your private and confidential data, such as recent routes, addresses and personal profile info. Mercedes says the feature will be indispensable for when you need to hand your luxury car over to a service worker or a parking assistant.
