BMW rolls out heated seat, steering wheel subscriptions

[Franco Cozzo]

BMW rolls out heated seat, steering wheel subscriptions – UPDATE: Not in Australia yet

BMW will now sell you the heated seats in your car as a monthly subscription, for a little more than a high-resolution Stan or Netflix subscription.

12 July 2022, 1:30pm: BMW has begun offering heated seats and in-built dash cams as subscription services – much like your monthly subscription to Stan, Netflix or Spotify.

Seen in overseas markets including South Korea, BMW's ConnectedDrive online store now offers the ability to purchase heated front seats, a heated steering wheel or an in-built dash cam as monthly subscriptions.

UPDATE, 12 July 2022, 4:15pm: Since publishing, Drive has been advised the BMW heated seat and steering wheel subscriptions are not currently available in Australia, and the listings on the Australian ConnectedDrive store are not correct. This story has been updated accordingly.

"We are constantly evolving our digital offering for our customers, but we have no plans to introduce these features [heated seats and steering wheel subscriptions] at this time," a BMW Australia spokesperson said in a statement to Drive.

The BMW Drive Recorder and automatic high-beam features – among others – were already available in Australia, and will continue to be offered.

Drive understands future BMW models launching in Australia over the coming 12 months may unlock the heated front seat and steering wheel functionality listed on the ConnectedDrive store, though this is yet to be confirmed.

Provided their vehicle is equipped with the required technical hardware, the ConnectedDrive store says buyers could spend $19 per month on a heated steering wheel or the BMW Drive Recorder dash cam, or $29 for heated seats. These prices are yet to be announced by BMW Australia.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/bmw-au...ions-detailed/

Its starting gents and non gents, it wouldn't be too long before the IT industry influenced the grubby bean counters in automotive with their practices - cars come with features like dash cams, heated seats et al but are locked away under software subscriptions with monthly/yearly fees to be able to use them.

I think we're seeing the future of automotive unravel here, even though you buy the car it is still not yours to use it how you wish without paying extra fees to access features.

Its not happening here in Australia - yet.

I suspect we won;t have trim levels anymore, just one model which has all the hardware but monthly subscription fees to access the features what you'd usually pay more for in a higher spec car.

[fiestaz]

I find this just such a crazy and stupid idea. You get the fuel bill for lugging the equipment around but can’t use it without coughing up.

It does not line up to how other subscription services work.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

I find this just such a crazy and stupid idea. You get the fuel bill for lugging the equipment around but can’t use it without coughing up.

It does not line up to how other subscription services work.

I suspect whats going to happen is you buy your car, but if you don't pay anything for the subscription fees, you end up with a nice new car with all the features of an XY Falcon, so it starts, drives, runs, stops, goes around corners, has lights, indicators and brake lights but thats it

[ozrunner]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I suspect whats going to happen is you buy your car, but if you don't pay anything for the subscription fees, you end up with a nice new car with all the features of an XY Falcon, so it starts, drives, runs, stops, goes around corners, has lights, indicators and brake lights but thats it

Except for the nice car bit isn't that what's called a Tesla pos.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Blue_XR

If all automotive brands go down this route then maybe some very clever people will learn how to unlock all the features for a one off price.

Lets all chip in $50 and let JasonACT at it,

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I suspect whats going to happen is you buy your car, but if you don't pay anything for the subscription fees, you end up with a nice new car with all the features of an XY Falcon, so it starts, drives, runs, stops, goes around corners, has lights, indicators and brake lights but thats it

I was wondering why my trucks left door window winder wouldn't work.

[DJM83]

If all my family buy BMWs can we share the subscriptions to save money

[Wretched]

On the face of it a single item subscription isn't too bad for the lifetime of the vehicle when you consider how much these companies charge for the option outright anyway. Adding to this, leasing companies can save some $$.
However, that is where the pros end.

• There is no way BMW and other car makers will charge less for the base car
• This seems very shady, especially considering the h/w is already in the car and it is only s/w locked, so it isn't saving car makers money, they will have to add the hardware into the cars. Nothing a "jailbreak" won't solve anyway
• More car companies are getting on board with this. Stellantis are looking at this for their range of cars starting with Jeep. Toyota have started as well (though stopped short of retrospectively applying the remote start subscription)
• Subscription for cars is useless, there is no benefit to the owner/user. Unlike the IT software subscriptions, there is no ongoing upgrade for heated seats or steering wheels.

[Romulus]

I have to admit Franco the M550i I have is the best car I've owned to date, bar none. A M5 was on the cards but the missus said I'd have to wait until next year.

I like the subscription service, you can opt in/out of the items you do or don't need. I don't need heated seats or steering wheel, it doesn't get cold enough in Perth. I do have the BMW Drive recorder subscription, the auto high beam function is standard on the M550i.

[Bossxr8]

Imagine buying a luxury vehicle, and then having to pay to use features that come standard in vehicles costing half the price. What an absolute con.

Anyone who pays for this is an absolute sucker.

[Blue_XR]

If all automotive brands go down this route then maybe some very clever people will learn how to unlock all the features for a one off price.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Blue_XR

If all automotive brands go down this route then maybe some very clever people will learn how to unlock all the features for a one off price.

Then they'd figure a way to void ya warranty then no doubt.


I think blinkers are already a subscription on BMW's that not many owners have signed up for from what ive read

[cs123]

It's going to make buying a second hand car more interesting.

What do you get with the purchase? and what will stop working when you drive it away

[Big_Daz]

Nothing like paying top dollar for a luxury car to have to pay monthly for some of the features that my wives $65k Kia Sorento has Standard, and for free...

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Big_Daz

Nothing like paying top dollar for a luxury car to have to pay monthly for some of the features that my wives $65k Kia Sorento has Standard, and for free...

For now....

You wait, one does it, all will start doing it

[Citroënbender]

If it takes the entry price notably down, I think it will be a runaway success. As an aspirational marque, this will allow people to show off theirs for less coin.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

If it takes the entry price notably down, I think it will be a runaway success. As an aspirational marque, this will allow people to show off theirs for less coin.

Nah they'll just try get two bites of the pie - ridiculously priced car + subscription fees on top, I guarantee it

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

If it takes the entry price notably down, I think it will be a runaway success. As an aspirational marque, this will allow people to show off theirs for less coin.

As if they will reduce the RRP. They will still charge the same price, yet you'll get less.

It really is damaging for their brand that they are resorting to this, when considerably cheaper mainstream brands include stuff like this as standard.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

If it takes the entry price notably down, I think it will be a runaway success. As an aspirational marque, this will allow people to show off theirs for less coin.

Brand reputation is important to some, look at the number of asian driving MB's and BMW's. They're not aspiring to drive a Ford, Kia or Toyota, but they do aspire to drive a MB or BMW. If this marketing strategy helps get people in the lower spec vehicle it may pay dividends for the manufacturers with future purchases.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Had heated seats in our 4x4 since 2007, no subscription necessary. just press the butten, very nice when you are driving to work at 4:30am in the middle of winter.

[Falcon SXR8]

[FTE217]

Some here will recall the days when buying a new car you'd haggle with the sales guy for free floor mats weather shields etc remember ?
Now we know what happened onwards, all extras cost X and X and X.....
Metallic paint was a $3k extra for MB's long ago.
This is no diff - the OE how can I reduce my cost but add to the extras menu where once was absorbed in the price, now lets gouge it better.

[b0son]

Say no to everything, apply a hack aftermarket.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by b0son

Say no to everything, apply a hack aftermarket.

Automotive industry wants to play IT industry shennanigans, I reckon they don't have the security in place that the IT industry does with its systems.

There's a reason everyone finds a way how to tune cars.

We've seen what JasonACT can do with an FG2 ICC, lets see what else he can find with a bit more motivation to right some wrongs

[Dave R]

If you need to subscribe to heated seats in your new BMW surely it'll be a pov pack model thing? I've used the subscription service on my current 2022 BMW to activate the drive recorder (dash cam with front/rear/side views, not bad really) and that's it, there wasn't much else available to 'purchase' outside of service plans but perhaps that will change as they start digitally decontenting them. No way I'd be subscribing to heated seats etc on any prestige car period, seems like something more appropriate for budget makes not 'the ultimate driving machine' as they claim.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

If you need to subscribe to heated seats in your new BMW surely it'll be a pov pack model thing? I've used the subscription service on my current 2022 BMW to activate the drive recorder (dash cam with front/rear/side views, not bad really) and that's it, there wasn't much else available to 'purchase' outside of service plans but perhaps that will change as they start digitally decontenting them. No way I'd be subscribing to heated seats etc on any prestige car period, seems like something more appropriate for budget makes not 'the ultimate driving machine' as they claim.

Correct. Probably base spec vehicles like the 1, 2, 3 and X1, X3 series.

The premium spec vehicles come with heated seats and steering wheel (when optioned from new) standard.

Someone compared a Kia to a BMW. What a clown show.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Someone compared a Kia to a BMW. What a clown show.

Exactly, what clown would pick a BMW over a Kia.

Dr Terry

[Metdevil]

I thought there would be a thread about this somewhere
This is exactly the sort of thing I was talking about a few months back.

Originally Posted by Metdevil

Can I just say that a car is the very last thing I want to be utilising the latest tech :p
We live in a world where power tools come with bluetooth connectivity, printers refuse to print unless you download an app and use their ink, and TVs lose functionality after having support dropped after only a year.

The last thing I want is to have my car refuse to start because I haven't installed the latest firmware update. If they really wanted to, they could lock cars to single owners and completely cripple the used car market by charging subsequent owners for an 'unlock key' to get it out of limp mode.

We all know how quickly tech evolves, phones and computers are considered 'outdated' after being only months old. Our FG Falcons came with iPhone connectivity only for Apple to change the plug they use.

I'm perfectly fine with keeping tech out of cars, let's go back to cassettes

[Dr Smith]

I had another thought, ...say you're buying a second hand one of these and the previous owner or car yard had the bare minimum features activated...how would you test everything before buying to ensure it's all working and how would you go about getting things fixed if you only discovered after taking ownership that some of the features were broken. Buyer beware is one thing but imagine having to take out some form of "free trial subscription" of every feature to ensure all works...for every car you look at while shopping...or could you have a "retail" mode so everything is active for a road test (I'm talking second hand non-BMW dealers)?

[Metdevil]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

I had another thought, ...say you're buying a second hand one of these and the previous owner or car yard had the bare minimum features activated...how would you test everything before buying to ensure it's all working and how would you go about getting things fixed if you only discovered after taking ownership that some of the features were broken. Buyer beware is one thing but imagine having to take out some form of "free trial subscription" of every feature to ensure all works...for every car you look at while shopping...or could you have a "retail" mode so everything is active for a road test (I'm talking second hand non-BMW dealers)?

You can usually test those sorts of features with an OBD2 device. Though of course, they would purely test for functionality only.

But also, I really don't think BMW were thinking about the second-hand market at all when they were considering this.