BMW heated seats subscription UK

[IceSuperDave]

Summary

BMW to allow subscriptions for in car features, just like Linus predicted. Like heated seats and steering wheels in uk for £15 and £10 per month.

 

Quotes

Quote

BMW has sparked debate after offering an online subscription to turn on heated front seats in its cars in the UK for £15 per month.

 

A monthly heated steering wheel subscription costs £10.

 

The company says customers can enable all hardware features for a one-time payment if they prefer. For £200, those with chilly hands can enjoy a warm wheel for "as long as the technical prerequisites are met for this vehicle".

 

The features are available via BMW's ConnectedDrive online store and are activated remotely, with no need to visit a dealer.

 

The heated seat offer is available in the UK, but the subscriptions that are available vary by country.

 

 

My thoughts

This would make cars heavy and less efficient for no reason if you don't want or need these features.

 

Linus predicted this may become a thing, just like most he thought it would be Tesla who would introduce this but looks like BMW may have beaten them to it.

 

I could see how some may like it on the second hand market letting you add features without the higher cost of having to install the equipment but I think most people are against this.

 

Sources

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-62142208.amp

 

https://news.sky.com/story/bmw-criticised-for-putting-heated-seats-behind-a-paywall-12651279

 

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/12/23204950/bmw-subscriptions-microtransactions-heated-seats-feature

[Invincible Sugar]

Where is a hacker when you need him?

[Fasterthannothing]

Quote

The company says customers can enable all hardware features for a one-time payment if they prefer.

This right here is the key. All this is being done to get the monthly payment that you see on your bill down lower. Unfortunately many people don't seem to realize making something an addon is the same as making your monthly payment increase. It's the same thing as making the base videogame $9.99 but then adding a monthly subscription to play online with the dlcs.

[wanderingfool2]

36 minutes ago, IceSuperDave said:

 Give a few sentences with your thoughts on the news. For example, this might be why you think the news is interesting, what you think the broader implications of this news are for the tech industry, or how you expect the story to develop in future. 

Nice thoughts on the subject

 

8 minutes ago, Fasterthannothing said:

This right here is the key

This

 

For myself there is a difference between having an option to purchase a feature vs effectively rent it.

 

I've said it before in relation to this sort of topic.  There is an added cost of having 2 different SKU's, and instead of raising the price for everyone having one SKU that has all the bells and whistles, I'd rather have 1 SKU, but features locked behind a paywall but at a cheaper price for the base model.

 

A good example of this is my Camry...no heated seats, but wish I kind of got one that had it...but that isn't possible without spending a lot of money now.  I'd rather an option where I could buy it outright after the fact.

[cmndr]

I could see this ONLY making sense if you only have 1 month of cold where you live, otherwise up front tends to win.


For laughs, let's assume away inflation and price increases. Also assume a return of 5% from investments and the ability to sell without a loss. 

If it's $415 up front then your opportunity cost is $20.75/year.
At that rate, 2 months of use is not worth it.

----

 

If you shift assumptions around the same overall conclusion is still mostly valid, you'd need pretty extreme assumptions (0 resale value, fairly high interest rate) for it to not be. I'm kind of waiting for the functionality to be a license and to NOT be transferable. EUGH.
 

[LWM723]

Good grief! A subscription for an Ass Warmer. What next.

[Chiyawa]

2 hours ago, LWM723 said:

Good grief! A subscription for an Ass Warmer. What next.

Well, a massage chair would be nice...

[YellowJersey]

3 hours ago, LWM723 said:

Good grief! A subscription for an Ass Warmer. What next.

It's only going to get worse.

[xAcid9]

What next? $50/month so you can use your brake pedal and don't need to rely on regenerative or "AI" braking?

What a bright future ahead for automotive industry. 

[RockSolid1106]

"Sorry officer, my brake pad subscription ended while I was driving"

[LogicalDrm]

@IceSuperDave

This thread is not complying with Tech News format. Please add your personal take on this subject or thread will be moved out of Tech News.

 

Also, quote(s) should only contain snippes of the original article(s), not whole article. The point is that you choose the important parts and readers can check sources for full story.

Edited July 14, 2022 by LogicalDrm

[wanderingfool2]

8 hours ago, cmndr said:

If it's $415 up front then your opportunity cost is $20.75/year.
At that rate, 2 months of use is not worth it.

Yea, the way I look at is this.

 

At $18/month...or $415 forever access...in the lifetime of the vehicle will you "rent" heated seats 24 times it pays for the "forever".  So if you keep it for 12 years, you have to use it for 2 months out of the year.  Actually, now I think of it...if you lived in a moderate climate where heated seats are only used on super cold years, it could actually be quite beneficial just to use the rental approach...or if you flipped your car every 5 years.

 

3 hours ago, huilun02 said:

The argument that this allows them to produce just a single model is false. A lot of these cars are also being sold in regions where no one would ever use heated steering wheels or seats. It makes no economical sense to install the more expensive component in all vehicles.

Not really false.  The fact is you need to pretty much have that as a "feature" option on any modern vehicle (or else lose business).  So it can get quite costly having 2 separate lineup of vehicles that have just a few added features.  Keep in mind a vehicle sitting on the lot isn't great...and neither is selling the vehicle "without" that feature but having to give it away as a free upgrade.

 

Adding it in as well likely isn't too expensive...and it's about the gamble that they will sell more of the upgrade dlc than it costs to install it in all vehicles.  At this stage buying a car is like buying a game console at launch.  Certain things they take a "loss" on, but hope to recoup that by having people buy enough of the "perks" that were preinstalled.

[williamcll]

Just build your own car.

[Blademaster91]

A subscription for a feature you're already paying for when buying the car, this is so dumb, and I doubt people buying a BMW are going to care about the cost per month.

[wanderingfool2]

38 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Very naive of you to think they are at a loss when the car buyer dont pay for permanent unlock or monthly for access to the feature.

Not naive, I just understand that developing and production of different SKU's can add quite a bit of a cost.  Different tooling etc.  Like I said, it's a cost analysis.

 

If the overall cost is lets say an extra $100 per vehicle, and you expect 25% of people will do a full on purchase, you can charge $400 as a "break even" point, but more likely $500.  It's better that sometimes than having 2 SKU's but having overall cost of maintaining both SKU's being an extra $200 per vehicle.  [Just throwing it out there].

 

Or similar to what happens with my vehicle, the quoted cost of adding it (as they don't come preinstalled) was like $1500.  It's all about the numbers really, just like consoles.  Also manufacturers selling vehicles at a near or loss isn't unheard of.  The Mach-e currently costs more to produce than they are selling it for.

 

Actually, let me put this in perspective, when I last went shopping for a minivan.  To get heated seats for some vehicles, you have to upgrade to a premium class (as that's how they minimize the SKU's).  I don't need the other features, but to get heated seats I effectively would need to upgrade to the few thousand dollar more option.  I prefer a vehicle where there is the "base" model, and I can add things on a la carte without breaking the bank getting features I don't need just for a single feature.  e.g. built in GPS is not needed, sat radio isn't needed, etc

[Ydfhlx]

This is so wasteful. They'll now put the heating coils in every single car even if someone doesn't want it. As always, "ecology" ends where money begins.

[jagdtigger]

No, just no.......

[mr moose]

yeah, but nah.  Having worked in manufacturing of large road going vehicles with many and varying options,   I can assure you there is nothing in this that makes it cheaper for the consumer, it is literally just a new way for companies to sell more options while taking choice from consumers.  

[Heliian]

I will never buy a vehicle with subscription based anything.  

 

You might as well just rent the car. 

[IceSuperDave]

@LogicalDrm Sorry first time posting a topic for the tech news I hope I have changed it to comply now Cheers

[LogicalDrm]

1 hour ago, IceSuperDave said:

@LogicalDrm Sorry first time posting a topic for the tech news I hope I have changed it to comply now Cheers

Sorry, but you need to do more than one sentence. Please read the guidelines:

Quote

Your thread must include some original input to tell the reader why it is relevant to them, and what your personal opinion on the topic is. This needs to be MORE than just a quick, single comment to meet the posting guidelines.

 

[Dedayog]

Curious how long til subscription keys appear on the 'Bay

 

 

[IceSuperDave]

@LogicalDrm Hi sorry I hope I have complied now like I say first time posting about something other then trying to get advice on pc upgrades.

[CTR640]

The automotive industry is getting cancerous now they've tasted the subscription favor. It's only a matter of time the other automotive manufacturers will follow this bullshit and it will only get worse with many other subscriptions to come.

[Motifator]

If you wanna go about your own way, could always get one of those heating seat pads. Can also wrap the steering wheel for cold climate. Though, it'd make more sense to simply opt for an older model that has these functions without an overly stupid subscription system.