General Motors has run out of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits in the U.S., but the veteran automaker has apparently come up with some innovative rebates for customers.
According to Detroit Free Press, GM is offering customers a $5,500 USD rebate on its new 2023 Cadillac Lyriq all-electric SUVÂ if they agree to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) and let GM track how they use it.
Customers who sign the NDA will be legally barred from discussing any aspect of their experience owning or driving some of GM’s first Lyriq units with anyone outside of the company. GM will also be able to collect data pertaining to their driving patterns and behavior.
Sources familiar with GM’s plans said select customers have already accepted GM’s offer and signed NDAs. Cadillac spokesman Michael Albano confirmed the program in a statement to Detroit Free Press.
“As we transform our business, the launch of our first all-electric vehicle, Lyriq, provides Cadillac some unique learning opportunities,” Albano said.
“Therefore, we have engaged a small group of early customers who agree to share their vehicle information and customer behaviors. Cadillac will use these learnings to elevate the experience for all our customers.”
Albano added that he believes GM is the first automaker to tap customers instead of employees to monitor how their cars do on the road in real-time.
The program will not only give GM a pilot program for its upcoming e-SUV but also give it access to a treasure trove of driving data and statistics directly from its customers.
Lyriq is Cadillac’s first EV, which the GM subsidiary built on its parent company’s new Ultium platform for battery electrics. GM will launch 29 other EVs designed on the Ultium platform across all of its brands in the next few years as the automotive giant seeks to go all-electric by 2035.
Cadillac opened pre-orders for the 2023 Lyriq back in May, and the first production unit was delivered to one of the company’s showrooms just last week.
With electric vehicles now acting as computers on wheels, manufacturers seeking customer data for product improvements is invaluable. It also raises new privacy concerns.
Tesla also collects information from its owners, but the company says privacy is paramount.
“Your Tesla generates vehicle, diagnostic, infotainment system, and Autopilot data. To protect your privacy from the moment you take delivery, Tesla does not associate the vehicle data generated by your driving with your identity or account by default. As a result, no one but you would have knowledge of your activities, location or a history of where you’ve been. Your in-vehicle experiences are also protected. From features such as voice commands, to surfing the web on your touchscreen, your information is kept private and secure, ensuring the infotainment data collected is not linked to your identity or account,” explains the company’s privacy policy.
What do you think of the move? Would you let the company that made your car track you if they offered you a better price on it? Let us know in the comments below.
