[imagesource: Business Insider]

BMW is offering certain car features on a subscription basis.

Heated seats seem to be the new hot topic.

Since cars are becoming more like computers these days (you know, with the whole electric and smart vehicle movement taking hold), it makes sense that subscription services are on offer.

BMW customers will have two options for warming their booties in the car: either by buying the option when you purchase the car or, if you bought the car without the feature, you can pay a monthly fee to get a nice warm seat on a cold day.

The option is being primarily implemented in the UK (not Korea or the US, despite rumours), where drivers will have to come up with £10 extra a month (which is around R200) to subscribe to the heated seat option, reported CNN:

The heating coils and other hardware required to actually heat the seats are already in the car, but owners can, if they wish, pay a monthly fee to BMW which will allow them to actually work.

The benefit would be a lower upfront price for the car and, potentially, the ability only pay for the feature when it might be needed, like in the winter. Also, second or third owners would be able to pay — or not — for features they want or don’t want.

Wait, so who is saving here? BMW or the customer?

Other luxury features are offered in an online market called the BMW ConnectedDrive Store, which includes certain car features under the title of BMW Functions on Demand:

Features that were paid for when the vehicle was purchased will not then be available by subscription later. This sort of thing is simply offered as a way for BMW owners, and maybe second or third owners of BMW vehicles, to try out features that might not have been “switched on” when it was first purchased.

This includes a “remote start” functionality for North American BMW owners. This allows drivers to start the engine from some distance away so the car can warm up.

Otherwise, there’s also “BMW Drive Recorder” which uses the car’s external cameras to make video recordings like a dashboard camera.

Of course, like with the heated seat option, if BMW drivers opt-in to the programme but don’t make their payments, the feature will be disabled.

Seems like a way for BMW to make some extra cash to me, but each to their own.

[source:cnn]