Yahoo Finance BMW flags monthly subscriptions for heated seats
BMW owners may soon be able to keep their backsides warm via an opt-in subscription for heated seats starting around $26 (US$18) a month.
Motorists may also be able to pay around $266 (US$180) a year for heated seats, or $600 (US$406) for the premium add-on for life.
This is wild — BMW is now selling a monthly subscription service for heated seats in your car.
• Monthly fee: $18
• Annual fee: $180
The car will come with all the necessary components, but payment is needed to remove a software block.
Welcome to microtransaction hell.— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) July 12, 2022
The company reportedly plans to introduce the software-enabled subscriptions in South Korea.
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Despite the car manufacturer charging customers extra for heated seats, all cars will be built with the ability to warm the seats.
The seat-warming function will be activated via software once the customer pays for their subscription.
The company reportedly plans to introduce the software-enabled subscriptions in South Korea, according to car news site Jalopnik, and isn’t the first time the company has tried to charge customers extra for add-ons.
The company tried to introduce an extra charge for Apple CarPlay but ditched the plan after the resulting backlash.
It’s unclear if the heated-seat subscriptions will be introduced to other markets.
New trend towards subscription-enabled luxuries
Now that most new cars are connected to the internet, several other car companies are flirting with the idea of charging customers extra for luxury features, according to Business Insider.
Kristin Kolodge, vice-president and head of auto benchmarking and mobility development at J.D. Power, said these kinds of subscriptions would bring in another stream of recurring revenue for years, and build brand loyalty.
Owners of some car brands, such as Toyotas, have been asked to pay a fee to be able to remotely start their cars via an app.
Companies such as Ford are charging customers to access their hands-free driving feature.
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