[zaroth]

> I would pay for my car to NEVER update without my express approval.

In case you were wondering, you opt-in to the updates from Tesla and can totally disable all connectivity if you so choose.

Virtually no one does this, because the upgrades are extremely valuable to Tesla owners and make the car accelerate quicker, brake faster, safer (constantly improving things like AEB and lane departure warning), longer range, more comfortable (suspension upgrades), and better in many other ways from minor usability tweaks (position of the phone icon in the launcher) to major functional upgrades.

OTA updates are also the only responsible way to deliver autonomous functionality.

It’s a huge asset and differentiator for Tesla. That’s not to say it won’t have detractors. E.g. Some people prefer driving stick.