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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.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Friday July 03 2020, @11:01PM (5 children)
But the BMW mentality.
BMW is virtue signalling that it's owner is filthy rich.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 04 2020, @01:03AM
Exactly. The type of person that would save a few dollars to hack the seat isn't the type of person that would buy a BMW to begin with.
For instance I'm definitely too cheap to buy a BMW. There are much better options out there for the price.
That's why this tactic works best for expensive cars where the audience is a car enthusiast willing to pay extra for an unnecessarily expensive car in opposed to someone looking for the best bang for their buck.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 04 2020, @01:54AM
It's not virtue signalling because there is nothing virtuous about being so rich you can be financially irresponsible to the point that prestige is gained by how far corporate dick is up your ass.
It's signalling, but sending a message that you're so big that you're immune to inefficiencies. The very idea is to be as stupid as possible, in ways that the average man couldn't survive financially for 5 minutes. Crystal encrusted laptops, phones, luxury cars. Add $5 million to an ordinary object without adding any actual value whatsoever. Not even value as art over time.
Instead of driving down the street throwing out cash, you're driving down the street throwing away cash at BMW for services from a device you already paid for. Unless, you naively believe that BMW sunk capital into each car to provide those services on the possibility of being paid for it.
This is like paying for an expensive steak, and then also paying $5/min to eat it. Not for any other reason than because you can.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Saturday July 04 2020, @06:54AM
Corvette owners wave at each other, regardless of the age or condition of said 'Vette.
BMW owners judge each other.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by hendrikboom on Saturday July 04 2020, @11:38PM (1 child)
It's wealth signalling.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday July 05 2020, @12:50PM
Thanks... Much better descriptor.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]