I have a 2018 Passat car net works just fine.

I had to contact the dealer to have them activate the eSIM in the car and register an account their site via the app. (Pretty standard stuff)

And yes it’s a subscription like this for locating the car, updating navdata online and remote heating + charging info. (It’s a hybrid)

Well… I say “just fine” their app is slow and unstable. But everything worked nicely with an unofficial home assistant integration. And when VW moved everything over to their new app, it continued to work on my old car, and it took the HA community about a week to sort most of the new API out.

It’s not perfect, but it does technically work, even on their older models. I can still download and install updated maps on it too for the onboard nav. (Though i usually just use Android auto…)

Even if you decided not to find out how to get it working, doesn’t mean it’s abandoned.

All that being said this is one of many genuine reasons to be concerned about this trend. And a good reason for people that write about and review cars to care about the software in the cars, the support you can expect, and the companys track record when it comes to supporting older models.

And like others have stated. The BMW example with the heated seats is just… rotten.