Car companies don't just collect data on every aspect of your existence. They also excel at surprising and impressing you with every feature they put in vehicles . However, in an unexpected twist, BMW has announced that it is dropping its subscription plan for heated seats in its vehicles.
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According to Forbes, BMW has announced the cancellation of the subscription service that was first introduced in 2020. Under the program, BMW offers heated seats to drivers for $18 per month, $180 per year, or $415 for unlimited access. According to The Verge, BMW began selling these subscriptions last summer outside the US and had planned to expand the program. However, the automaker has now officially reversed its decision. However, it seems that BMW is not completely abandoning its plans for monthly after-sales subscriptions for drivers.
“ We are actually now focusing on these ‘on-demand features’ in related products software and service- features that require data transmission that customers use to pay for in other areas , such as driving and parking assistance, which you can add later after buying the car or for certain ,” Pieter Nota , BMW’s board member for sales and marketing, told Autocar . “ What we no longer do – and this is a very well-known example – is offer heated seats .” Nota made it clear that BMW is moving away from paywalls that include hardware that is already in its vehicles.
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The automaker’s decision raises many questions about what features and luxuries a manufacturer can remotely disable and charge, as well as where its product offering truly stands out. If BMW can remotely control access to heated seats, then its competitors can choose the most profitable features to leverage. Consumers are understandably opposed to this trend, according to a survey that reveals that 62% of drivers don’t take advantage of features in their own vehicles.
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BMW isn't solely responsible for paywall features in cars. Last fall, Mercedes-Benz introduced an innovative feature that boosts your car's performance, allowing it to accelerate for as little as $60 a month, up to a maximum of $2,950 depending on the model.
