One thing that would make purchasing a car suck less

A lot of people tend to like cars, but to me they've pretty much always been something I tend to view as more of a ball-and-chain. I came across this article detailing something that would seem to make owning a car significantly less annoying:

Software is at the heart of what keeps Teslas running. These internet-connected cars are designed to self-diagnose their problems. The vehicles can also download software fixes or updates — even new features — much like an iPhone when Apple puts out a new version of iOS. When fixes happen over the air, there’s no need for a shop in the first place.

... It’s basically just a big battery. That means no spark plugs, no air filters, no fuel pumps, no timing belts. In short, Teslas don’t have any of the parts that force you to take your car in for “regularly scheduled maintenance” — services that can cost dearly at the dealer. But it’s hard to charge for an oil change when there’s no oil to be changed.

To be fair, Tesla isn’t doing away entirely with bringing your car in. The company recommends an inspection once a year or every 12,500 miles. Its service plans start at $600 per year* or less if you buy multiple years at once. The plans include replacement of standard parts like brake pads and windshield wipers. The company will monitor your car remotely and tell you when there are problems, such as faulty batteries. In theory, there are pitfalls in an arrangement where the company that makes your car is the only one that can fix it. But Tesla would seem to alleviate that concern with its flat-rate plans, rather than fee-for-service gouging for every fix.

I'm not entirely sure that I buy that Tesla will never try to make a profit from its service business as the CEO is now claiming, but on the other hand this sounds like a significant improvement over the current state of affairs. Of course for the moment it's still something like a $70,000 car though apparently they're aiming at producing a roughly $40k model in a few years. For less maintenance headaches I'd probably be willing to fork out an extra $10-20k.