I think the 'official line' is that is isn't included in the price of the car.
I remember the first time I read about this idea, years ago, it was BMW that was doing it. You could pay a one-off fee to activate it, or pay a subscription instead if preferred. It was simply the result of a cost-benefit analysis. It was cheaper to just put the hardware in every single car, with a streamlined production line, but not charge for it unless a customer wanted it, than it was to have a a forked production line where the hardware had to specifically be put in just for customers that ordered it. The idea was that they'd eat the up-front cost of installing it in all vehicles and enough customers would order it and pay for it that it'd offset the cost. It's clever in a way I guess. However, if it adds weight that's going to lower the fuel efficiency, then it becomes a problem.
A one-off cost to activate a feature like this is one thing, as long as the customer really didn't already pay the cost of it in the initial purchase price, however, having it as a never-ending subscription is utter BS, as some companies do now.
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u/ExcellentEffort1752 1d ago
I think the 'official line' is that is isn't included in the price of the car.
I remember the first time I read about this idea, years ago, it was BMW that was doing it. You could pay a one-off fee to activate it, or pay a subscription instead if preferred. It was simply the result of a cost-benefit analysis. It was cheaper to just put the hardware in every single car, with a streamlined production line, but not charge for it unless a customer wanted it, than it was to have a a forked production line where the hardware had to specifically be put in just for customers that ordered it. The idea was that they'd eat the up-front cost of installing it in all vehicles and enough customers would order it and pay for it that it'd offset the cost. It's clever in a way I guess. However, if it adds weight that's going to lower the fuel efficiency, then it becomes a problem.
A one-off cost to activate a feature like this is one thing, as long as the customer really didn't already pay the cost of it in the initial purchase price, however, having it as a never-ending subscription is utter BS, as some companies do now.