3.0 on Air

[abid]

Your comparison between a high-performance EV and a five-year-old laptop represents a classic False Analogy and a Straw Man distortion of my position.

First, you are conflating two entirely different categories of utility. A vehicle’s primary value proposition is defined by its mechanical engineering, thermal management, and physical architecture, areas where the Lucid Air remains 'best in class.' Unlike a laptop, which is a pure silicon-and-software interface that becomes obsolete when its processor can no longer execute modern code, an EV is a piece of heavy infrastructure. A 2021 MacBook Pro is limited by fixed hardware; a car with 'solid' current software and industry-leading range does not suddenly lose its utility simply because a newer UI exists. To imply otherwise is to argue that one thing has anything to do with the other, which is logically incommensurable.

Furthermore, by suggesting that I am advocating for 'frozen' 2021 software, you’ve constructed a Straw Man. My argument is that the current, mature state of the Lucid platform provides a superior ownership experience today. If you actually owned a Lucid, you would likely understand that this level of refinement isn't comparable to a depreciating consumer gadget. If you don't own one, I’m not exactly sure why you are here speculating on a hypothetical obsolescence that doesn't exist in the real world. If you do, I hope you’ll get a verified owners badge soon so we can discuss the car’s actual merits rather than irrelevant tech metaphors.

In the face of competition from more affordable EVs like Tesla and the Polestar 3, is requiring paid hardware upgrades truly a savvy marketing move that rewards early adopters—or does it miss the mark? @borski

 

[DeaneG]

In the face of competition from more affordable EVs like Tesla and the Polestar 3, is requiring paid hardware upgrades truly a savvy marketing move that rewards early adopters—or does it miss the mark? @borski

There is no requirement for updating your older Air to the current CPU. You may choose to do it if you want access to added software functionality, just as you might choose to do with an iPhone or iMac.

 

[borski]

In the face of competition from more affordable EVs like Tesla and the Polestar 3, is requiring paid hardware upgrades truly a savvy marketing move that rewards early adopters—or does it miss the mark? @borski

Don't upgrade; nobody is forcing you to. If you're happy with the car as is (and many are), there's no requirement for you to.

If you want newer features that were not planned when you bought the car, they are offering you a very cheap upgrade (relative to the cost of the car and what competitors charge) to upgrade the CCC.

That seems like a good move to me. It would be an especially good move if it were in the rewards store as an option as well, since that would quite literally reward loyal customers, just as you wish.

 

[abid]

Don't upgrade; nobody is forcing you to. If you're happy with the car as is (and many are), there's no requirement for you to.

If you want newer features that were not planned when you bought the car, they are offering you a very cheap upgrade (relative to the cost of the car and what competitors charge) to upgrade the CCC.

That seems like a good move to me. It would be an especially good move if it were in the rewards store as an option as well, since that would quite literally reward loyal customers, just as you wish.

Contrarily, Sentry mode, use of the two screens ad some other features were part of the sales pitch I agreed to patiently wait for in a premium luxury with a premium price. Tesla and Polestar are offering FREE upgrades, not cheap.
Luxury brand should outdo the cheaper competitors in growing brand name specially when software updates require a MUST upgraded hardware at no cost to the believers, imho.

 

[socktucker]

In the face of competition from more affordable EVs like Tesla and the Polestar 3, is requiring paid hardware upgrades truly a savvy marketing move that rewards early adopters—or does it miss the mark? @borski

I would say that even allowing some sort of upgrade is better than usual. Most other cars if you want a new feature you gotta buy the whole car.

 

[borski]

Contrarily, Sentry mode, use of the two screens ad some other features were part of the sales pitch I agreed to patiently wait for in a premium luxury with a premium price.

Use of the two screens independently was never marketed by Lucid for the Air, to my knowledge. Neither was Sentry mode. If your salesperson told you this, they were lying.

Tesla and Polestar are offering FREE upgrades, not cheap.

Tesla charges twice as much as Lucid, from $1500-2000 depending on which model vehicle you have.

Luxury brand should outdo the cheaper competitors in growing brand name specially when software updates require a MUST upgraded hardware at no cost to the believers, imho.

Again, I don't know how to say this more clearly: you are not required to upgrade your CCC to get software updates. However, in those software updates, some features may be limited to only those who have the upgraded CCC.

Again, I eagerly await for it to exist in the Rewards store.

But as nice as it is that Polestar is offering it for free, it is not something that Lucid is expected to offer for free, imho.

 

[abid]

Neither was Sentry mode. If your salesperson told you this, they were lying.

Having owned Tesla model Y and model 3, Sentry mode was critically important for me and feature was assured to be available in future. Only then I placed a deposit to purchase at Century City showroom on July 16, 2021 (Sarah Estupinian was her name to best of my recollection)

Tesla charges twice as much as Lucid, from $1500-2000 depending on which model vehicle you have.

Factually verifiable info is that HW3 to HW4 upgrade is free for Tesla owners who paid for FSD just like I paid for optional Pro version of Dream Drive but being asked to pay for CCV2 (critical upgrade towards sentry mode, UX 3.0, and future software upgrades).

 

[DeaneG]

Also, Polestar is only upgrading the 3's ADAS CPU for ADAS software features they clearly promised in writing at delivery of the first units. This is not an infotainment upgrade.

Polestar 2, and it's cousin Volvo's XC40, have no infotainment upgrade announced, and their CPU is far, far worse than the early Airs. If you are lucky, you may be able to persuade a dealer to do it for $1500. I'm going to try with our XC40.

 

[Ampere]

I see nothing wrong with Lucid charging for the upgrade. Hardware is very different from software. In the three years I've owned my Air Touring I've received dozens of *free* updates and upgrades. I don't think there was anything in the sales contract specifying that I would. Lucid has taken the responsibility to fix bugs and also offer enhancements. Legally, it is only required to correct safety related issues, not to continuously make my Air a better vehicle. I have not received the latest update/upgrade, but as far as I'm concerned my Lucid is performing up to and beyond my original expectations.

 

[bmair]

Very well said...totally agree! I'm a relatively new Air Touring owner but could not be happier with this amazing vehicle. If nothing ever improves, I'd still be more than satisfied, so getting OTA updates that continuously enhance the driving experience is a welcome bonus. My unit is a 2026 so likely no hardware upgrades needed anytime soon but if there are any down the road, I'll almost certainly be all in and happy to pay for them. Comparing Lucid to Tesla and Polestar in any context is bizarre to me (other than they are all EVs). Lucid is a whole different animal and superior class of vehicle.

 

[socktucker]

Use of the two screens independently was never marketed by Lucid for the Air, to my knowledge.

It was always explained as a kind of flick down motion I thought. You can move content from upper to lower which has always worked

 

[Bobby]

It was always explained as a kind of flick down motion I thought. You can move content from upper to lower which has always worked

Yes, that is definitely how it works currently. What people are hoping for is to be able to use the upper and lower screens simultaneously for two completely different functions, like navigation on one and audio on the other.

 

[borski]

Having owned Tesla model Y and model 3, Sentry mode was critically important for me and feature was assured to be available in future. Only then I placed a deposit to purchase at Century City showroom on July 16, 2021 (Sarah Estupinian was her name to best of my recollection)

I believe you. But it has never been promised for the Air. I do suspect it may eventually arrive nevertheless.

Factually verifiable info is that HW3 to HW4 upgrade is free for Tesla owners who paid for FSD just like I paid for optional Pro version of Dream Drive but being asked to pay for CCV2 (critical upgrade towards sentry mode, UX 3.0, and future software upgrades).

Infotainment is not ADAS. Lucid is not charging extra for ADAS upgrades for anyone who paid for DDP.

Lucid, like Tesla, is charging for infotainment upgrades. That is the apples to apples comparison, which is why that is what I compared.

Your comparison, “factually verifiable” or not, is comparing apples to oranges.

 

[socktucker]

I believe you. But it has never been promised for the Air. I do suspect it may eventually arrive nevertheless.


Infotainment is not ADAS. Lucid is not charging extra for ADAS upgrades for anyone who paid for DDP.

Lucid, like Tesla, is charging for infotainment upgrades. That is the apples to apples comparison, which is why that is what I compared.

Your comparison, “factually verifiable” or not, is comparing apples to oranges.

This must be his first borski argument. Just tap out now @abid you don’t want this smoke

 

[doubletwist]

Yes, that is definitely how it works currently. What people are hoping for is to be able to use the upper and lower screens simultaneously for two completely different functions, like navigation on one and audio on the other.

They may not have explicitly promised it , but I'm sorry, having two screens (in addition to the main instrument cluster screen) absolutely sets the expectation of being able to display more than one thing at a time. Otherwise what's the point of having two screens?

 

[Bobby]

They may not have explicitly promised it , but I'm sorry, having two screens (in addition to the main instrument cluster screen) absolutely sets the expectation of being able to display more than one thing at a time. Otherwise what's the point of having two screens?

To be fair, it definitely does display two things, just not the two things that some people are hoping for.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

It was clearly stated at last Sunday's meeting that we won't be getting sentry mode on the Air, even with 3.0.

 

[borski]

This must be his first borski argument. Just tap out now @abid you don’t want this smoke

I am happy to be wrong. Just show your work; that's all I ask. I'm wrong plenty.

I'm dumb. I just like being dumb correctly.

 

[borski]

They may not have explicitly promised it , but I'm sorry, having two screens (in addition to the main instrument cluster screen) absolutely sets the expectation of being able to display more than one thing at a time. Otherwise what's the point of having two screens?

You can presently use the bottom screen as a more in-depth detail view of the top screen; that's why you can 'pull down' the upper app. Also, if you 'swipe up' the upper you can definitely do things like climate while the upper screen has CarPlay, for example.

I agree it would be great to have proper multitasking, but it's not necessarily obvious that 'two screens' means 'multitasking'

 

[translux]

I’m in, as long as I can simultaneously be on a Zoom call on the top screen, watch porn on the big screen, play Doom on the dash using the steering wheel controls, and have my kids watching Bluey on the small screen in the back—crying because I’m on a Zoom call—all while in motion.