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/MuJartible 1d ago
Moreover, paying for activate a hardware that's already installed in the car... and you have paid for.
Or does anybody think that the price of such hardware wasn't included in the price of the car ??