Car microtransactions!
 

I've read multiple times that the big screens in new cars (especially BEV's) are going to be the next real estate money grab for car companies because they're not going to make their money on parts/servicing like they used to on ICE vehicles. Are we going to see a lot of extras going on a OTA (over the air) DLC (download content) for these new cars with new apps or advertising space :eek: as BMW have just announced that they're selling heated seat subscriptions for $18/month amongst a host of other vehicle options I get included into the price on my MG ZS EV https://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/ima...s/icon_eek.gif What's next? Airbags for $50/month https://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/ima...s/icon_eek.gif

https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/12/2...-seats-feature


The comments section is telling on the future the car industry is going.:mad:



https://i.imgur.com/1YZdpzLl.jpg

Maybe that's why BMW owners can't indicate they haven't paid their subscription for them. :getmecoat:

I can see this becoming more and more of a thing but the most worrying thing is that they can suddenly remove support for cars once they reach a certain age. What happens then?

Russ

I expect Microsoft Winodws will end up being a on a subscription service model in the future.

As for cars, as long as the the basic functionality and associated features keep working without a subscription it wouldn't really bother me. We have heated seats on 4 cars - the first one purchased about 18 years ago - that have never been used.

Had a Toy Poodle that used to love the heated seats in the Omega I had at the time. He'd sit and shiver until you put them on.

Surely, this is a huge price increase for what is and has been standard equipment. Or at least on an options list and available at a once-and-for-all purchase price for the life of the car. It's an absolutely outrageous marketing sleight-of-hand dodge.

They know owners will not cancel as the trend these days is for lease/lend, but the trade will when the 'used' car comes to auction. Then, the cost of replacement will, or could, be charged again for a very simple click of a switch. What fools we are. But then, we are anyway.

Bsod
 

I wonder if they will get the dreaded Microsoft BSOD, or equivalent?

Perhaps all modern cars should have a 1990s mode whereby the rich features are switched-off/bypassed leaving the basic systems required for the engine to function.

My Omega is beautifully simple in this respect compared with even the 75.