BMW wants to sell you subscriptions to your car’s features

#1

Post by aquigley » Mon, Jul 06, 2020, 10:12 PM UTC

BMW wants to sell you subscriptions to your car’s features
techcrunch.com

Re: BMW wants to sell you subscriptions to your car’s features

#2

Post by aquigley » Mon, Jul 06, 2020, 10:16 PM UTC

It "allows you to subscribe to specific hardware features that may already be built into your car but that you didn’t activate when you bought the car — like heated seats or advanced driver assistance systems"

Excited to think a whole industry around jail breaking cars could exist

Re: BMW wants to sell you subscriptions to your car’s features

#3

Post by mynameisvlad » Mon, Jul 06, 2020, 10:37 PM UTC

Tesla already does this to an extent with Autopilot/Full Self Driving, as well as rear heated seats on Model 3 Standard Range/SR+ and the Performance boost on Long Range. Although those are all currently flat upgrades, Musk confirmed that a FSD subscription will be available at some point. Premium Connectivity is also a subscription offering, giving access to some map upgrades and streaming media.

There's actually quite a few things that are software-locked on the Standard Range line with no upgrade path. The footwell lights, for instance, as well as fog lights on early models (current ones don't have them installed anymore).