Hi there, I'm looking at used 2012 PiP Advanced and can't find the answer to the following question. If I ONLY intend on using the hybrid app to control the climate control; do I need to pay the connectivity fee to the SafetyConnect or whatever it's called? From what I understand, Entune is free, but (obviously) adding in streaming radio/traffic/nav costs extra. What about good old using my phone to turn on the A/C 8 minutes before I get in the car, do I need to pay an annual/monthly fee for that? Thanks.
Yes its all or nothing I believe. Thats why I don't have it on mine thats all I would use it for and I don't believe its worth it for me.
Thanks, @DukeDynasty So no matter what year PiP Advanced, a customer will have to pay for the hybrid app features (ie starting A/C with iphone) after the 3yr period expires? That's lame.
Your car is a 'cell phone' Toyota pays the monthly charge for 3 years, after that you either pay the monthly cell phone bill or no one does. My emergency generator is a 'cell phone' the Manufacturer pays the monthly bill for one year, after that I pay the bill.
Expanding a bit: the climate control app on your smartphone has to communicate with the car somehow, and we are talking about being beyond the range of the key fob. The app connects to a server, which calls the SafetyConnect cell phone built into the car to do this. This cell phone has to have cellular service (from Verizon, I think), and part of the SafetyConnect fee goes to pay for that service. Toyota has chosen to not break out the various features supported by SafetyConnect into independently purchasable options. When you pay for SafetyConnect, you get all of the telematic functions (the advanced apps) as well as the "safety" features. Or you get none of them. Some companies, such as Tesla, use a single high bandwidth built-in cell phone to provide both the telematics and the Entune-style apps (Pandora, traffic, etc). But Toyota is still using a separate slow built-in phone for the telematics, and your smartphone for the other stuff. I am sure that will be changing.
@CharlesH Thank you for explaining that. It was making sense in my head, but it's good to see it written down.
If the $140 a year I saw in another thread is correct, it is probably all cell phone charges. Which would be why it is all or nothing because the supplied services are essentially free.
That was my phone call to Toyota after we got our 2012 Advanced PiP last month. $140/year gets u the Safety Connect 'connection', then the free Entune app will control the a/c, etc. Not worth it for us. As it is the Entune app is just awful in all ways. YMMV...
@finman , thanks. Now the quest to find a PiP. Preferably CPO or used within the original warranty period. Stand-by for a forum post...
