The latest of poor decisions from BMW could see existing features pulled from your car
Subscription services seem to be the way of the future. In some cases, that's a good thing but for most applications, it really isn't. A subscription service benefits the user when it comes to choice, like Spotify for an endless supply of music or services providing loads of content for creators. These services end up being cheaper than the cost of paying for each individual item and is more convenient. Where subscriptions are less beneficial are for products, single items. An example being Adobe and it's whole suite. You can't hold on to an outdated version anymore, you need to keep paying a fair chunk of change, which is fine if you're a professional or constantly using the software. But for the average person, the price is just too much to continue with.
It was only a matter of time before a subscription in some form came to the automotive world. Last year Volvo launched their service Care by Volvo, which is more or less an updated lease setup with some extra add-ons. With Volvo's subscription you can upgrade your car after 12 months, and you have wear and tear taken care of. Not only that but Volvo will even provide amenities such as winter tires. Seems like a great update based on a lease setup. BMW launched Access By BMW a while back, while the pricing is substantial, and the fact that after 2 years it's still only available in Nashville, TN, clearly doing very well, that's not the problem here. There's BMW's new subscription.
Now, here at 6speed.ca we like BMW cars, but that doesn't mean we're going to ignore the many questionable decisions made lately. Like the ever growing grill, the M badge plastered everywhere, the naming convention, some design choices, and so on. Those issues seem quite minor when you look at the new subscription plan BMW is rolling out. This new form of ownership would see features come and go. Because someone thought, 'I want to get a fully loaded car, but not have the features available whenever I want,' right? Yes, it might be summer, and the seat heaters might not be used much, but what about those random cool nights? Bet that BMW feels luxurious now. There just doesn't seem to be a benefit.
'Let's just remove some safety features they've become accustomed to' - BMW, probably. What could go wrong with removing safety features?
Let's not forget that BMW tried to charge a subscription for Apple CarPlay, a free service from every other brand. The greed is strong with this one.
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