Software Features

[SpaceEVDriver]

I wouldn’t waste my money on a manufacturer who wasted time and money developing things like fart sounds or “full self-driving.”

If I wanted to sit in a farty vehicle that I’m not driving, I’d take Greyhound.

 

[Jasco]

I wouldn’t waste my money on a manufacturer who wasted time and money developing things like fart sounds or “full self-driving.”

If I wanted to sit in a farty vehicle that I’m not driving, I’d take Greyhound.

Yeah fart sounds are a waste of time. That said, we really like our Tesla Model 3 though we are not thrilled with the "Robotics and AI" company these days. FSD will be interesting to watch going forward. We bought it cheap many years ago but never use it. My wife won't touch it. However at some point in the future most cars will have this tech and Scout will have to adopt it if they want to compete in the mass market. My guess is it will be an optional upcharge or subscription service. If so, I will likely opt out.

I'm curious, would you be interested in an app ecosystem that included something like a Star Gazing App? What software features would get you to spend your money?

 

[Chavannigans]

Apparently Tesla announced that CarPlay is coming to their lineup today.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-working-integrate-apple-carplay-its-evs-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-11-13/&ved=2ahUKEwjIzs-u7--QAxUVj4kEHWIHFF4QFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw30FIBt26BeSKAZmHPWljGe

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Yeah fart sounds are a waste of time. That said, we really like our Tesla Model 3 though we are not thrilled with the "Robotics and AI" company these days. FSD will be interesting to watch going forward. We bought it cheap many years ago but never use it. My wife won't touch it. However at some point in the future most cars will have this tech and Scout will have to adopt it if they want to compete in the mass market. My guess is it will be an optional upcharge or subscription service. If so, I will likely opt out.

Many manufacturers are attempting to create this technology. I work in the fields of computer vision 3D mapping and automated navigation (for spacecraft, but it’s not substantially different). I don’t trust the algorithms, nor the data acquisition enough to even feel comfortable being on the road with vehicles that are actively using that technology. I purposefully change my speed and even route whenever I can if there’s a brand-T vehicle nearby. The sensors aren’t ready, the processing isn’t ready, and the software is woefully unready.

Rivian is getting there with incorporating LiDAR into their future vehicles. This sensor is absolutely essential for truly safe “self driving,” and any vehicle without it simply is not capable. I don’t know of other mainstream automobile manufacturers who are working to use LiDAR, but I haven’t looked in more than a year, so I could easily be out of date.

My partner is fine with Ford’s Level 2+ ADAS, Blue Cruise “hands-free.” I will engage it, but unless I’m doing something like opening a soda or something similar, I have both hands on the wheel at all times. There are too many ways even Level 2+ can be fooled and fail.

I'm curious, would you be interested in an app ecosystem that included something like a Star Gazing App? What software features would get you to spend your money?

I buy software that provides me with value. In a car, there’s not much extra that I would choose to purchase.

I don’t have any interest in sitting in the car for longer than necessary, so the video/game streaming app ecosystem carries negative value to me. I would actively avoid a vehicle and probably a manufacturer that included things like “rave mode” or “mad max mode.” I don’t even want to pay for the development of such things (all vehicle prices increase when a manufacturer spends R&D money, even if it’s for a paid feature), much less pay for them directly. I hacked the system in my Truck to permanently disable Alexa. I didn’t ask for it and didn’t realize it was part of the vehicle when I bought.

Stargazing apps are only useful to me if they allow me to search for a particular object. So such an app in a vehicle would have to use a HUD or somehow otherwise project onto the windshield or moonroof. Otherwise it doesn’t sound like an in-vehicle app would even come close to matching the capabilities of an app on a phone or tablet.

Things I would consider paying for:
I would purchase a pro version of Avenza Maps, which allows not only offline use and off-road use, it also will import GeoPDFs, which are available from most National Forests, BLM lands, etc. Having those maps visible on the big screen for navigation would be great. I use them all the time.

I might consider a better EV planning app, but it would have to have some incredible value. As it is now, I don’t bother planning our road trips to any more detail than we used to with our gas vehicles. After >50k miles of road trips, it’s simply not necessary.

I’m ready to ditch Google Maps as they’ve started using generative ai not only in their front-end, but also their back-end and I’ve noticed that their navigation is beginning to hallucinate roads, locations, and routes that simply don’t exist, especially away from major urban areas. So if someone comes out with a paid app that uses Open StreetMaps instead of Google, I’d very likely purchase it. I absolutely would purchase it if it can talk directly to the vehicle to get battery state of charge and help with locating and planning charging stops.

 

[J Alynn]

I agree that simple is always good but I think that "Delightful" is the ultimate goal. The desingers at Scout are all about heritage and connection and they nailed the vehicle deisgn so I don't doubt they will do the same on the software side. Some of the features I listed are simply must haves to compete these days, some are occasionally useful and some strike a tone that does not resonate with Scout's brand. I will say that in general people enjoy the one off touches, those features that have no true use other than to engage the user. Take the many, many easer eggs included on Jeeps. The classic speedometer band might be viewed as gimicky in somes circle but not in this one because it touches on heritage. I'll take more of that please and thank you. Its fun to hear what's important to people and I will say there may be a little bit of you don't appreciate it until you have it happening here as well.

Maybe it is best to focus on the must haves to compete and the features would be really helpful. Ev owners feel free to chime in if you are passionate about a feature.

I do agree with delightful and I’m stealing that word use. Being involved in residential design can m tasked with storytelling to engage buyers to a community and previous life we called it “cool shit”. Sometimes details, sometimes ah-ha moments but these are all intended to offer surprise delight and to your point-jeeps Easter eggs are fantastic.
We did something as simple as a ganged mailbox structure, painted script that said signed, sealed, delivered and it catches the eye. Afterwards I said we should have painted a Charlotte and her web up in the ceiling as an Easter egg (via jeep ironically) so I get what you mean. It should be things that once you fin and have your surprise joy you want to go show your friends.

 

[Jasco]

Many manufacturers are attempting to create this technology. I work in the fields of computer vision 3D mapping and automated navigation (for spacecraft, but it’s not substantially different). I don’t trust the algorithms, nor the data acquisition enough to even feel comfortable being on the road with vehicles that are actively using that technology. I purposefully change my speed and even route whenever I can if there’s a brand-T vehicle nearby. The sensors aren’t ready, the processing isn’t ready, and the software is woefully unready.

Trust and FSD do not go together. I wish there was regulation that mandated some indication that the tech was in use so we'd know which cars to avoid.

I don’t have any interest in sitting in the car for longer than necessary, so the video/game streaming app ecosystem carries negative value to me. I would actively avoid a vehicle and probably a manufacturer that included things like “rave mode” or “mad max mode.” I don’t even want to pay for the development of such things (all vehicle prices increase when a manufacturer spends R&D money, even if it’s for a paid feature), much less pay for them directly. I hacked the system in my Truck to permanently disable Alexa. I didn’t ask for it and didn’t realize it was part of the vehicle when I bought.

Fair enough! I firmly believe that if a feature like an AI assistant or "Farm mode" or whatever is provided, the user must be able to disable it. No forced features. Again, I believe Scout will be very thoughtful in this regard.

I would purchase a pro version of Avenza Maps, which allows not only offline use and off-road use, it also will import GeoPDFs, which are available from most National Forests, BLM lands, etc. Having those maps visible on the big screen for navigation would be great. I use them all the time.

+1 to this suggestion. I would love the off road use and Geo maps available in the primary navigation system would be amazing.

 

[J Alynn]

Sure, it could absolutely be manual and just like a gas cap. I have also had gas caps that are manual stop working, fail to open, or break. Whether it is mechanical or automatic, you could open it a few different ways, but I think manual might just be the best.

One thing that happens sometimes is that you might un-plug, then get distracted or forget to close the charge port door. If you hop in and put the truck into DRIVE, an automated door will just close automatically for you, for example... All trade-offs.

I like the idea of the Scout having easier to fix "on the fly" or "in the field" items, which makes me lean more towards mechanical VS. automatic, but there are certainly convenience benefits to tying automatic functions into the SW and U/I.

Completely see both sides of that-thanks for sharing

 

[Scoutbbq]

Saw this article today and thought it was relevant to some of this thread's discussion.
The Latest Inside Rivian’s $6 Billion Deal to Rewire Volkswagen’s Future

 

[J Alynn]

Saw this article today and thought it was relevant to some of this thread's discussion.
The Latest Inside Rivian’s $6 Billion Deal to Rewire Volkswagen’s Future

If I missed welcoming you-welcome and if I I did-well no harm no foul

 

[oldgeeksguide]

Stargazing apps are only useful to me if they allow me to search for a particular object. So such an app in a vehicle would have to use a HUD or somehow otherwise project onto the windshield or moonroof. Otherwise it doesn’t sound like an in-vehicle app would even come close to matching the capabilities of an app on a phone or tablet.

I dunno, I could picture this: enter a celestial object and your scout plots a course to a nearby good location, aligns the vehicle opens the cabana roof, raises the seat so you’re in the perfect viewing position. HUD overlay highlighting the object would be a plus.