Toyota to charge $80 a year for starting cars with key fob

San Francisco, Dec 13 (IANS) Leading automaker Toyota will charge drivers $8 a month or $80 annually for using their key fobs to remotely start its cars.

According to a report in The Drive, Toyota models 2018 or newer will need a subscription in order for the key fob to support remote start functionality.

"Toyota's the first company to charge for full use of your physical key fob -- either $8 a month or $80 a year at the Remote Connect plan's current price," the report noted.

When buying a new Toyota, buyers have the option to trial Toyota's Connected Services.

"These can include features like emergency assistance, hotspot connectivity, and app-based services like remote vehicle unlocking and starting," according to the report.

News of Toyota's decision surfaced on Reddit last month after a user spotted some wording in Toyota's 'Remote Connect' marketing materials that suggested an ongoing subscription would be required for drivers to start their car remotely with their key fob.

"The key fob's proximity-based radio frequency (RF) remote start function will not work without a paid subscription to Toyota's 'Remote Connect' suite of connected services," the report noted.

The 'Remote Connect' service lets drivers use their smartwatch, smart home devices, or smartphone to start their cars.