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Heated Seats as a Service? BMW Wants to Sell Car Features on Demand

posted by chromas on Friday July 03 2020, @08:00PM   Printer-friendly
from the cloud-to-butt-plus dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for Fnord666:

From Ars Technica:

[...] BMW is planning to move some features of its new cars to a subscription model, something it announced on Wednesday during a briefing for the press on the company's digital plans.

[...] the Bavarian carmaker has plans to apply that model to features like heated seats. BMW says that owners can "benefit in advance from the opportunity to try out the products for a trial period of one month, after which they can book the respective service for one or three years." The company also says that it could allow the second owner of a BMW to activate features that the original purchaser declined.

From Roadshow:

These options will be enabled via the car or the new My BMW app. While some will be permanent and assigned to the car, others will be temporary, with mentioned periods ranging from three months to three years.

[...] So, yes, you could theoretically only pay for heated seats in the colder months if you like, or perhaps save a few bucks by only enabling automatic high-beams on those seasons when the days are shortest.

Also at Hot Hardware, The Drive, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, TechSpot, SlashGear & Forbes.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by looorg on Friday July 03 2020, @08:56PM (4 children)

    by looorg (578) on Friday July 03 2020, @08:56PM (#1015848)

    Wait. Isn't this already a "feature" in the car? Not really a BWM person but it's standard in most newer model of any brand isn't it? It's not exactly a luxury -- unless you consider a car to be a luxury. What is next? I have to pay for using the different gears or turning the wheel or blinkers or ... Fuck them and their car really.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 03 2020, @09:34PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 03 2020, @09:34PM (#1015863)

    It is part of a bundle option. I think I have used mine like once or twice when I remember it exists.

    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday July 03 2020, @10:38PM

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Friday July 03 2020, @10:38PM (#1015883) Journal

      Uhmmmm - you say that fucking them is part of the bundle option? Hmmmm . . . . no, I don't think so.

    • (Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday July 04 2020, @12:00AM

      by Grishnakh (2831) on Saturday July 04 2020, @12:00AM (#1015922)

      Mine was part of a bundle too, but it was a feature I definitely wanted. Heated seats are great in the winter when it's cold outside. But if you live in Southern California, I can see why you'd never use them or care. Move to the northeast and you'll appreciate them.

    • (Score: 2) by SDRefugee on Saturday July 04 2020, @01:16PM

      by SDRefugee (4477) on Saturday July 04 2020, @01:16PM (#1016087)

      Hell, my damn Hyundai Elantra has heated seats... Why the hell does BMW think their shit doesn't stink because they ALSO have heated seats????? riddle me that!!

      --
      America should be proud of Edward Snowden, the hero, whether they know it or not..