>If you ignore the LED indicators warning you that the airbag isn’t active, you can’t expect it to work when you’re not actively subscribed.

On the things I work on, where public trust is at stake, there are typically several layers of redundancy in not just the design, but also the regulation, all designed to prevent human error from occurring at a later date.

Here's a very simple example for a very common and low key activity: In my county, wastewater treatment regulation is based on the assumption that 100 feet of horizontal separation provides sufficient treatment and protection between a groundwater well supplying potable water, and a septic system. Now, both of those require permits to install which requires a site plan and coordinates, etc. (Check number one.) It is especially illegal for well drillers to drill a well without filing the permits and record with the county. (Check number two.) You cannot permit either a well or a septic system within 50 feet of a property line. (Check number three, which helps to ensure 100-feet between systems even if someone makes a mistake about what is occurring on an adjacent property.) When permitting a septic system, you must dig a deep hole to investigate and make sure that there is sufficient distance to groundwater through the soil to provide treatment before reaching groundwater. (Check 3, this provides redundancy in case there is some form of short circuiting, or a well get's drilled nearby anyway). The soil type is lab-verified to ensure it does not drain too quickly, compromising the treatment before effluent would hit groundwater. (Check 4: redundancy) In many cases, a monitoring well is required with a minimum of 6 inspections to further ensure that groundwater is sufficiently deep year round to avoid compromise. (check 5). Many of these steps require BOTH a licensed engineer and a county representative to be physically present. Etc. etc. etc. And this is an example with compartively VERY FEW regulations and checks to ensure that someone nearby you doesn't get sick.

>Did you review the design spec or read the product page?

Yes, I also ride motorcycles and have reviewed several motorcycle airbag options.

>... "If you ignore the LED indicators warning you that the airbag isn’t active, you can’t expect it to work when you’re not actively subscribed." ... Given that description, what are the failure modes you envision that are "psychopathic" and would endanger the rider and/or erode public trust?

1.) Human error to notice, identify, and correctly interpret an LED indicator light.

2.) Human error to properly correct an LED warning light indicator for a variety of reasons. ("I called them and gave them my new credit card so I should be ok, even though the light is on.")

3.) Inability to correct the situation without first continuing travel to an area with cell or internet service. (Date changed, subscription expired, have been traveling and haven't had reliable cell, internet, or mail for 2 months.)

4.) Hardware failures of a huge variety, which can exist in a system which has an inbuilt mechanism to DISABLE airbag.

5.) Programming errors and/or network errors.

6.) Hacking: The device is "connected and upgradeable". Enough said.

This whole thing is a terrible idea, to the point, where, I WOULD NOT TRUST the device even if I purchased the non-subscription version, lest it somehow fail after an unauthorized update, or revert to thinking I'm on a subscription service.

...The thing is, in engineering where public trust is involved, you simply DON'T DESIGN SAFETY SYSTEMS THIS WAY. You design them to be as hard to screw up as possible even in the face of substantial human error, or negligence, or malicious intent.

Would you feel ok entering a building where the fire exit required the building owner pay a subscription service to unlock?