DD Versions, Trial, and Upgrades

[Halodde]

The lane centering is very very good and the lane departure protection will just bounce you between lanes yelling at you as it does so. They are extremely different. One is meant to steer long stretches of road for you, and the other is meant to wake you up if you're asleep and drifting.

What you've also left out is all of the future updates that will come to DD Pro that will likely only exist for the higher DD levels; this includes automated lane changes, navigation-assisted highway pilot, and so on and so forth.

I didn't forget about the future improvements. But I don't factor them in to the decision right now. If the future improvements are significant I can upgrade then. For the time being, I don't feel there's enough value to justify the cost. But I will continue to monitor and reevaluate.

I'm also intrigued that someone pointed out that the website clearly says that highway assist is included with standard DD. That's not a good look for Lucid to walk that back when they are already not meeting stated sales objectives.

 

[joec]

Hmm. Seems pretty petty for a $120k vehicle to have to pay $10 extra per month to be able to use the tech that was pitched to sell the vehicle (especially since it is installed - now they won't let you use it?). So CarPlay, Spotify, Alexa, none of that would work without connectivity? Which is pretty much the whole tech panel?

I don't think that a lot was really clear in the time leading up to the purchase and it was a pretty rushed walk through at pick up after they had the money. They showed the surround camera but definitely did not say it was a trial. I did know that DD was not ready to roll (which is fine as where I am there is so much construction and poor signage/markings I would be years from being able to use it).

I suppose we will see more frustration from owners chatter continue to be reflected in the stock price. It is a beautiful car, but it sounds like what I have in my garage is less and less what I thought I drove off the lot. Disappointing.

Not petty at all. Data costs money. Last I checked, AT&T doesn’t just give that away.

Do you get free data for life when you buy a new phone?

I know $100k sounds like a lot of money to some of us, but in the scheme of things, Lucid is not making that much margin on each car that they can afford to lose $120 per year on every customer in perpetuity.

Tesla learned this the hard way and stopped giving away “free” data years ago.

I have no problem with a subscription that actually provides something I know costs the company money.

Now, BMW charging a subscription for heated seats, or CarPlay, which costs them nothing to turn off or on, is ridiculous.

 

[joec]

Based on current functionality, I'm unsure if I will continue with the integrated 5G data in the car. I think it's AT&T which is subpar in my opinion. I may just use my phones (personal cell and work cell) as Hotspots when I'm in the car. Both are on Verizon Wireless' network which is my carrier of choice.

I have Verizon wireless on my phone, which actually sort of sucks here in Boulder. I’m finding the car has connectivity often when my phone does not. Definitely varies by region.

It would be nice if the car would let you choose a provider. But my guess is companies like Tesla and Lucid get a deal for being exclusive to one carrier.

 

[Wait4Perfection]

Does anyone know if the DDP OR SSP upgrades are associated to the owner or the vehicle? Meaning, if it's associated to me and the car is sold, the new owner needs to buy the upgrade again.

 

[Rogue]

Does anyone know if the DDP OR SSP upgrades are associated to the owner or the vehicle? Meaning, if it's associated to me and the car is sold, the new owner needs to buy the upgrade again.

Appears to be with the car because of the hardware aspect. Used owners on the forum have not had to repurchase the options.

 

[borski]

I didn't forget about the future improvements. But I don't factor them in to the decision right now. If the future improvements are significant I can upgrade then. For the time being, I don't feel there's enough value to justify the cost. But I will continue to monitor and reevaluate.

Sure, that makes sense; you can always buy it later, since you've got the hw.

 

[TomMJM36]

I took delivery of my Air Touring in late March. I also received the same email indicating my DDPro features free trial would end July 5th. When I took delivery of my car, my window sticker indicated that my car included DD Pro as optional equipment at a cost of $10,000. I assumed at the time that in Lucid's rush to deliver me a car by end of March, they gave me one with my other options/wheels/color that also included DD Pro. Im not sure how a window sticker can indicate a feature is included in the car to then take it away 3 months later. Did or do all Tourings include the DD Pro hardware?

 

[mnat]

I took delivery of my Air Touring in late March. I also received the same email indicating my DDPro features free trial would end July 5th. When I took delivery of my car, my window sticker indicated that my car included DD Pro as optional equipment at a cost of $10,000. I assumed at the time that in Lucid's rush to deliver me a car by end of March, they gave me one with my other options/wheels/color that also included DD Pro. Im not sure how a window sticker can indicate a feature is included in the car to then take it away 3 months later. Did or do all Tourings include the DD Pro hardware?

Many of the window stickers indicated that, but that's likely because the window stickers were printed before Lucid started software limiting that feature.

 

[Babyrocko1908]

I took delivery of my Air Touring in late March. I also received the same email indicating my DDPro features free trial would end July 5th. When I took delivery of my car, my window sticker indicated that my car included DD Pro as optional equipment at a cost of $10,000. I assumed at the time that in Lucid's rush to deliver me a car by end of March, they gave me one with my other options/wheels/color that also included DD Pro. Im not sure how a window sticker can indicate a feature is included in the car to then take it away 3 months later. Did or do all Tourings include the DD Pro hardware?

The window sticker simply indicates for VIN verification purposes what hardware, software, and options the vehicle was built with from the factory. These are then registered in your official VIN number. What is controlling is your purchase agreement which stipulates what features/options you paid for. If DDP isn't in your purchase agreement, you didn't pay for it. I'd certainly double check my purchase agreement to see if you paid DDP and SSP.

 

[Amster]

I took delivery of my Air Touring in late March. I also received the same email indicating my DDPro features free trial would end July 5th. When I took delivery of my car, my window sticker indicated that my car included DD Pro as optional equipment at a cost of $10,000. I assumed at the time that in Lucid's rush to deliver me a car by end of March, they gave me one with my other options/wheels/color that also included DD Pro. Im not sure how a window sticker can indicate a feature is included in the car to then take it away 3 months later. Did or do all Tourings include the DD Pro hardware?

The delivery date isn't as important as when you placed the order. The prices, and what is included vs. an extra option, and other benefits have been changing monthly during the last year. I've purchased two. One was ordered in June 2022, the other in March 2023. The same car, but In terms of buying, everything about the two was totally different.

 

[borski]

Based on current functionality, I'm unsure if I will continue with the integrated 5G data in the car. I think it's AT&T which is subpar in my opinion. I may just use my phones (personal cell and work cell) as Hotspots when I'm in the car. Both are on Verizon Wireless' network which is my carrier of choice.

It is AT&T, and LTE, not 5G. If you have a 5G hotspot, you may be better off, tbh.

 

[borski]

I have Verizon wireless on my phone, which actually sort of sucks here in Boulder. I’m finding the car has connectivity often when my phone does not. Definitely varies by region.

It would be nice if the car would let you choose a provider. But my guess is companies like Tesla and Lucid get a deal for being exclusive to one carrier.

My hope against all hope is that at some point I can stick my own sim in, or better yet, hook it up via an esim and just have my car be an addon to my cell phone plan like my watch or tablet. One can dream.

 

[Babyrocko1908]

It is AT&T, and LTE, not 5G. If you have a 5G hotspot, you may be better off, tbh.

Thanks.

 

[nbuubu]

FWIW, I was also told Highway Assist was part of DreamDrive standard by multiple points of contact throughout my pre-order and purchase phases.

I completely understand that by not purchasing DreamDrive Pro and Surreal Sound Pro during my purchase window it resulted in the penalty of losing my legacy pre-order pricing. It was a risk I took because I had no way of knowing whether those features were something I needed/wanted and Lucid offered no way to test them in the showroom.

However the upgrade pricing now introduces a 20% penalty fee to each option, in addition to the penalty of losing the legacy pre-order pricing, which together feels punitive.

I'm not entirely sure what Lucid gains by turning early adopters into cautionary tales, as examples to be pointed to by sales advisors to upsell new customers on features.

When I made my purchase decision DreamDrive Premium was not an option. If I were to order a new car today it'd cost me $2000, but as an early adopter customer the upgrade to DreamDrive Premium costs me an additional $500 for undisclosed reasons.

Taken together this all leaves something of a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[Babyrocko1908]

FWIW, I was also told Highway Assist was part of DreamDrive standard by multiple points of contact throughout my pre-order and purchase phases.

I completely understand that by not purchasing DreamDrive Pro and Surreal Sound Pro during my purchase window it resulted in the penalty of losing my legacy pre-order pricing. It was a risk I took because I had no way of knowing whether those features were something I needed/wanted and Lucid offered no way to test them in the showroom.

However the upgrade pricing now introduces a 20% penalty fee to each option, in addition to the penalty of losing the legacy pre-order pricing, which together feels punitive.

I'm not entirely sure what Lucid gains by turning early adopters into cautionary tales, as examples to be pointed to by sales advisors to upsell new customers on features.

When I made my purchase decision DreamDrive Premium was not an option. If I were to order a new car today it'd cost me $2000, but as an early adopter customer the upgrade to DreamDrive Premium costs me an additional $500 for undisclosed reasons.

Taken together this all leaves something of a sour taste in my mouth.

A 20% penalty fee? Say what now? I'm honestly confused here and absent this explicit language on the "upgrades" section of the website, I would be careful using this language.

Lucid offers a product that they value at a certain price. It is entirely within the practice of the industry to offer said product at a discount if purchased by a certain date/time. Option #1 was to include DDP for $9,000 when you had ordered your car prior to the price jump. Option #2 was to add the upgrade after the price hike but prior to assembly for $10,000. Now option #3 is pay for it after the trial and pay the increased price.

I honestly have to say I'm a bit shocked at the replies since yesterday regarding the 90-day trial ending for SSP and DDP. It's a risk you took not paying for each back when it was at offered at a cheaper price. The grumbling about it now with the increased cost doesn't make much sense to me.

When I built my Touring, I knew then I wanted both DDP and SSP and I decided it made more sense financially for me to lock in the features at Legacy pricing and to finance the upgrades. However, far be it for me to count anyone's dollars here but this is getting a bit out of hand in my opinion.

 

[idiot900]

When I built my Touring, I knew then I wanted both DDP and SSP and I decided it made more sense financially for me to lock in the features at Legacy pricing and to finance the upgrades. However, far be it for me to count anyone's dollars here but this is getting a bit out of hand in my opinion.

Yeah. I don't like the fact that I got to pay extra for DD Premium - I would have bought it when I ordered the car if I had the option.

But this extra $500 or whatever isn't going to do me in. I got pre-inflation pricing, the legacy EV tax credit, and 5 months of driving an awesome car up till now.

 

[nbuubu]

The point is that throughout my purchase discussions with my sales advisor I was never told what the post-trial pricing would be. Everything was TBD. I accepted losing my pre-order legacy pricing, but I was never told that it'd be an additional $2000 above sticker price for Lucid to merely send a few KB to my car. These upgrade prices were never disclosed, I was just told "they're working it out, we don't know the plans, it'll be similar to sticker etc."

DreamDrive Premium was never an option until recently. Why penalize the small number of early adopters who didn't even have the choice to buy it at $2000 by charging them an additional $500 now?

Will it drive enough sales FOMO in new customers weighing options to point to early adopters as cautionary tales?

The $500 isn't going to do me in, it's the principle of being nickel and dimed. No thanks.

 

[Babyrocko1908]

Yeah. I don't like the fact that I got to pay extra for DD Premium - I would have bought it when I ordered the car if I had the option.

But this extra $500 or whatever isn't going to do me in. I got pre-inflation pricing, the legacy EV tax credit, and 5 months of driving an awesome car up till now.

Understood and you've been one of the more sensible members reacting to the trials ending. Some others here?? Yeah, not so much.

 

[joec]

The point is that throughout my purchase discussions with my sales advisor I was never told what the post-trial pricing would be. Everything was TBD. I accepted losing my pre-order legacy pricing, but I was never told that it'd be an additional $2000 above sticker price for Lucid to merely send a few KB to my car. These upgrade prices were never disclosed, I was just told "they're working it out, we don't know the plans, it'll be similar to sticker etc."

DreamDrive Premium was never an option until recently. Why penalize the small number of early adopters who didn't even have the choice to buy it at $2000 by charging them an additional $500 now?

Will it drive enough sales FOMO in new customers weighing options to point to early adopters as cautionary tales?

The $500 isn't going to do me in, it's the principle of being nickel and dimed. No thanks.

So long as they never told you (in writing) it would be the same price to buy it later, they are perfectly within their right to charge whatever they want later. As others have said, it was a risk you took by not buying up front.

The wait-until-later person's "penalty" is the buy-upfront person's reward.

Totally understandable if you don't want to pay the extra. Lucid is willing to take that risk, obviously. But they didn't do anything wrong.

 

[nbuubu]

Nope, it's completely within their right to jack prices for upgrades above the as-new price.

Just as it's within my right to feel cheated and treated like a wallet after their incompetence meant I had to completely guess and make decisions blind. Their choice, and ultimately my fault for falling for it and still proceeding with purchase.