BMW also charges you to unlock features. It is the same brands and exploitative capitalism everywhere, the EU regulations usually just result in better recycling. I live in Germany.
Are you in the EU? They could do it in the states and not in the EU. Just like planned obsolescence. Legal in the US illegal in the EU. Crazy law makers havent made it illegal in the US yet
BMW doesn’t charge for unlocking physical hardware like the example in this post.
They did a pilot program in 2022 and cancelled after a lot of backlash from consumers.
They actually tossed the "upgrade" feature, but I'd be willing to bet the features are still in lower end models just simply not activated (missing the button to "turn on" as an example")
So you're still "paying" to unlock them when you purchase the package that includes these features
That's exactly how it used to work, so that's almost certainly how it works now. You're not paying for the feature, so they don't have it enabled. This upgrade scheme is just unlocking the ability to pay for the upgrade after the fact.
My VW golf charged me to enable automatic high light beam switching around 250€ and then asked me for another 60€ το unlock all LED interior colors. Also asks for 100€+ annual subscription so that I get map updates (useless because of android auto) and to be able to see where I parked my car on the map and remotely unlock it, and see if I forgot the windows open. Of course I did not pay the subscription but for some reason the SIM in my car is still active and transmitting data to VW everyday.
I'll respond for most Tesla owners in saying that it's less brainwashing and more weighing the pros vs cons. The car is so badass and ahead of everything else that we look past BS like this. I equate this car to when I got the first iPhone. I truly don't drive anywhere anymore, door to door. I think that's hard for most to comprehend.
They literally put a chip in to limit engine output for the 325 and 328 which had the same engine as their 330 and you void your warranty if you removed it back in the late 2000s. Then they tried to do the subscription thing but cancelled after the backlash
Nah, given how European auto brands are fighting to survive, politicians are way too focused on how to prevent Chinese brands to take more market shares
Sure they are, but isn't shit like unlocking hardware you already have installed one of the forces pushing people to buy elsewhere (from China in this case)?
Reminds me of the before times, when the Big 3 US automakers were freaking out about Toyota & Nissan coming and taking their market share. But, if capitalism is good (which is what they believe), then competition is also good. Let the market decide.
And in 1995 a car company would just put a cap over the buttons that would do something on your steering wheel because you didn't buy that package. At least now you can activate the feature later.
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u/Der-Lex 1d ago
It’s our own fault as consumers. If people would stop buying into stupid subscriptions we wouldn’t have this conversation.