Dale Prentiss, 47, of Millbrook, discovered this week that the horn in his brand-new sedan no longer functions unless he pays a monthly fee of $5.99 through the manufacturer’s app. The feature, branded ‘HonkConnect Premium,’ was reportedly buried on page 114 of the vehicle’s terms of service, directly after a clause about tire pressure notifications costing an additional $2.99 per month.
“I was cut off in traffic and went to honk, and instead the dashboard just displayed a little bell icon with a lock on it,” Prentiss said. “Then a notification popped up asking if I wanted to ‘Unlock My Voice’ for a limited-time annual rate. I nearly rear-ended someone trying to read the fine print.”
The manufacturer, Velmont Motors, defended the decision in a statement, calling the horn “a premium acoustic experience” that deserves to be “monetized responsibly.” A company spokesperson, Carla Denton, Senior Director of Driver Monetization Strategy, explained that unsubscribed drivers can still access a free trial honk, described as “a brief, sad chirp,” once every 30 days.
“We believe drivers should have choice,” Denton said. “That’s why we also offer the Platinum Tier, which includes horn access, plus the ability to turn your headlights on at night without an additional $3.99 ‘Visibility Add-On.'” Denton added that seatbelt chimes remain free for now but are “under review.”
Prentiss says he has since resorted to rolling down his window and yelling “HONK” manually whenever needed, a workaround Velmont Motors says may violate section 212 of its Terms of Driving Experience.
