BMW has sparked debate in the UK after offering an online subscription to enable heated front seats in its cars for £15 per month. A monthly heated steering wheel subscription costs £10.
Subscriptions for the features have been available on BMW cars for some time in the UK, but the heated seat offering started this month. The company says that customers can enable all the hardware features for a one-time payment.
Features are available through BMW’s ConnectedDrive online store and activated remotely without needing to visit a dealer. The Heated Seat offer is available in the UK, but available subscriptions vary by country.
The manufacturer said, “where heated seats or any feature available in the ConnectedDrive store have been purchased when a customer vehicle is ordered, no subsequent subscription or payment is necessary”.
But the company argues that the ability to add new features can be helpful for owners who change their minds after purchase. And it is beneficial, BMW wrote, for second-hand car owners, “as they now have the opportunity to add features the original owner did not choose”.
Subscriptions also enable drivers to “experiment with a feature by purchasing a short-term trial before committing to a purchase”, the company added.
However, unlimited use of a feature can be purchased.