The Weird Subscription Service That BMW Is Offering
There is a subscription service for everything nowadays, and BMW has further proven that with the weird one it is now offering.
Many automotive companies are starting to implement subscription services for various amenities. Some are paying a subscription fee for other autopiloting technology, like Aurora’s Horizon trucks. But for other companies, a more casual addition is being attached to a monthly subscription. For British citizens who want a BMW, the car company is unveiling a subscription service that allows you to have a heated seat in your car.
This service might be shocking since most manufactured cars have heated seats. But if you’re buying a BMW without the additional luxury, you can now pay for a monthly subscription. This may help those purchasing used BMWs that do not need to include heated seats. In case cars without the heating function is a dealbreaker, BMW is making it possible to add this feature after you’ve purchased the vehicle. The subscription service will cost drivers ten euros or about 12 American dollars a month.
The heated seat subscription services come after years of BMW executives stating that they’d like to implement monthly car additions for their buyers. The service wouldn’t need any extra installation in your BMW since the car already comes with the heating coils required for seat warming. With the payment, you’ll be able to allow the heated seat function in your vehicle. Though frequently paying for a non-essential feature seems silly, having seat warmers tacked on to a monthly bill could save a driver money. Mainly if you only use the heated seat functions in the wintertime, you could pay less for a used BMW and have a seat warmed for a few months of the year.
BMW is offering this subscription service in the UK and not in the US because its executives believe US buyers would be confused by its functionality. Luxury car buyers in the US are likely to expect vehicles to come with seat warmers already. The monthly subscription functions for cars haven’t been popular in the US yet, so BMW is rightfully holding off on including it in the country. But, the company stated that heated steering wheels could be the next thing for American buyers. The heated steering wheel, announced in 2020, would be a similar monthly subscription service to heated seats, but BMW has yet to implement them in recent vehicles.
Though the US hasn’t had many car companies with subscription service programs, BMW has a few available in the country. One monthly subscription feature is the “remote start” function a buyer can purchase additionally with their new vehicle. It allows the driver to start the car from a short distance, letting it heat up in the winter before entering. Another function called “BMW Drive Recorder” is also available, which enables the driver to record video with their car’s external cameras for lane assistance and parallel parking.
In the world, it’s common to have certain electronics come with subscription services like iPhones, HD TVs, and gaming consoles. But cars with subscription services are a new concept for many. BMW’s current monthly fee for heated seats could either get buyers on board or confuse those who believe vehicles should come innately with that function.
