Toyota adds Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to its trucks and SUVs Talk to your phone while you're on the trail February 7, 2019 https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/07/toyota-truck-suv-apple-carplay-android-auto/
It looks like BMW will drop its Apple CarPlay fees Most vehicles with the latest infotainment system will get the service for free December 4, 2019 https://www.engadget.com/2019/12/04/bmw-apple-carplay-waives-subscription-fee/
Heated seats as a service? BMW wants to sell car features on demand July 2, 2020 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/0...ice-bmw-wants-to-sell-car-features-on-demand/ Your next BMW might only have heated seats for 3 months
Heated seats in a car are an abomination. Even if you like above the Arctic Circle, still not an excuse. Mrk
I would have to assume you don't live someplace cold? When I go home at the end of the work day in the winter and it is zero degrees here I am grateful for the heated seats and steering wheel that my car has. To me the abomination is charging ongoing fees to use such features. Maybe if the car was otherwise free. Being charged to buy something AND use it is just wrong.
I have lived in climates from -30 to +45 (Celsius). I believe in warm house/office = no need for heated seats. And when I did try them, as I do car reviews, they take a while to warm up, so by then, A/C can do the job just the same, and then your back/nether regions start sweating. And i'm not talking cheap cars - I'm talking premium brands. As for charging - you already have lots of silly nonsense like that. For example, BMW will charge you to give you folding seats in the sedan series (like 3-series). VW and Audi will charge you for options you get without extra cost in Skoda and Seat - all part of the same group. The digital "unlock" is just the latest thing, but it's already been used in the auto industry for at least 10 years. I recently had an experience where the sales person tried to "force" me into a smartphone app to use the car's infotainment. When I mentioned words like safety and regulations, magically, there was no need for any app. And by law, critical functions must all be accessible, so you will never really need any digital key to use important things. As for extras, the power of negotiation compels you. How you handle this: You tell the sales person as soon as they get gushy - you get them to relax, and then, things magically unlock themselves. The amount of discounts and features you get for being gently aggressive with the sales folks, my oh my. You just need to remember, it's your money, so you're in the lead position. In fact: I am willing to do car buying negotiations as a service but you have to fly me over and give me dinner. Mrk
