Germany Forces Lexus To Deactivate Remote Start With Over-The-Air Update

Germany – whose chancellor just admitted they made a ‘serious strategic mistake‘ chasing green unicorns when they shut down their nuclear plants - has just forced Lexus to deactivate the remote start feature which pre-warms an owner’s car so they don’t freeze their nethers off first thing in the morning in the winter.

Toyota spokesman Ralph Müller confirmed the measure, telling BILD that the pre-heating feature, which was previously free via MyToyota or Lexus Link Plus apps - is now deactivated on all combustine-engine vehicles across the country, as legislators consider remote engine warm-up “unnecessary running” that creates “avoidable exhaust pollution.” 

What’s more, Toyota has used remote access to disable the function to comply with the order, protecting owners from potential penalties by German authoritarian regulatory enforcers. The feature is still available on pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, which allows for cabin heating without starting the combustion engine. 

BIG BROTHER: German authorities forced Lexus to turn off the parking heating in Lexus cars! Just when it got cold and people needed it!

Imagine you bought a car and paid for specific features, but the government just turns it off because it’s NOT GREEN!

I’m not joking,… pic.twitter.com/x3wMmwVCNu

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) January 15, 2026

As Gadget Review notes further, Car idling bans stem from Germany’s broader assault on fossil fuel heating systems.

This crackdown connects to Germany’s Building Energy Act, requiring 65% renewable energy in new heating systems by 2024. The law aims to phase out gas and oil heating by 2045, but critics highlight massive costs and slow adoption rates—gas still heats 56% of Germany’s 43 million apartments.

Coalition plans to reform the controversial “heating law” by February 2026 promise more flexibility and technology openness. But car owners are collateral damage in this green transition, where authorities apparently can’t distinguish between heating a building and de-icing a windshield.

Your luxury car just became the latest battlefield in Europe’s climate wars, where bureaucrats decide which buttons work in your own vehicle. The real question isn’t whether remote start causes pollution—it’s whether you still own the features you bought.