BMW To Withhold Warming Seats Until You Opt For A Subscription

Remember when staying warm in your car was a right, not a luxury? Not any longer, thanks to BMW’s new scheme, in which drivers will have to pay to use the seat warmers in their vehicles. 

Owners will be able to activate the already-installed seat warmers for US$18 per month. The plan was recently implemented in the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, and a number of other countries. The microtransaction is causing consternation among the general public as they try to fathom the reasoning behind the new charges.

The program, like any other subscription, is divided into tiers, with a one-year payment of US$180, a three-year payment of $300, and an unlimited access payment of US$415. 

Other features being offered up in markets like South Korea and the United Kingdom include a heated steering wheel (US$12 per month) and adaptive cruise control (US$42 per month). Drivers will have the ability to connect their phones to Apple CarPlay for a flat fee of US$256. 

It’s no surprise that the public isn’t pleased with the new additions, as many of the offers are things that one would expect to be included in the price of the car. As of right now, there is no news to bring the plan to the US. 

The race to monetize the internal system of the car is a business model that may not sit well with buyers, but it appears to be here to stay. Cars are becoming more computerized, and as a result, the opportunities for microtransactions appear to be plentiful. However, the adoption may not be as smooth a ride as companies had hoped. 

[via The New York Post and Insider, cover photo 19837428 © Jordan Tan | Dreamstime.com]