Subscription service for heated seats, auto high beam and more

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Subscription service for heated seats, auto high beam and more

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Mad Scientist
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#2941881 14-Jul-2022 15:21

Scott3:

Seat heater are a funny thing to include. No need to get into any software changes, could just install an alternate switch and power supply to get them working.

i'm sure it can be done, but not as simple as you'd think.

you cannot change the 12V battery on a BMW without then coding the battery to the car. if you don't code the new battery into the car the car won't work.

reason? "we need to make sure the battery you install has sufficient quality Ah"

these things are all hard coded.

makes sense now why BMW were pushing so hard for their new "iDrive 8" bolt on screen and removing all buttons.

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Geektastic

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#2941882 14-Jul-2022 15:22

Another thing is cars imported from overseas not having the functionality outside their area of original registration.

My Mercedes is a UK import. Functionally identical to a NZ vehicle. However, things like Live Traffic - although the subscription is active - won't get the information from TomTom here despite having official NZ maps because it is outside Europe.

Likewise the Mercedes Me app here won't work with the car, only the UK app would.

I thought about changing the App Store location and downloading the UK app, which might work, but if you do that it breaks all the subscriptions you have in the App Store...that might prove annoying.

The app allows you to start the car remotely, open and close windows, lock and unlock the car etc and even to drive it into and out of parking spaces!

Batman

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#2941883 14-Jul-2022 15:22

Scott3:

When I had a BMW i3, it was possible to code the car to things like

- Change from MPH to km/h
- Enable AM on the radio.
- In the USA, enable the entire fuel tank to be used (USA had some rule that the car needed to have more electric range than petrol range to get EV subsidies, so BMW Software limited how much of the fuel tank could actually be used, in order to make the car eligible.

only if they are not paywalled.

you cannot Bimmercode remote unlock for example, as that is paywalled IIRC $600.

snnet

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#2941957 14-Jul-2022 17:32

Well, no wonder nobody who drives these things uses their indicators, they must be the most expensive addon

Linux

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#2941960 14-Jul-2022 17:41

snnet:
Well, no wonder nobody who drives these things uses their indicators, they must be the most expensive addon

@snnet You sir are a legend with that very response

snnet

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#2941962 14-Jul-2022 17:47

Linux:

@snnet You sir are a legend with that very response

Haha, it's probably harsh but I do come to expect it, and other maneuvers when in the vicinity of them and I'm rarely shown I'm wrong about it

Benoire

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#2941963 14-Jul-2022 17:50

As a former BMW 550i owner, I take offence to the idea that our BMWs did not come with indicators. We paid for the prestige of the car and all its extras. We just feel we don't have to as we own the roads.

frankv

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#2941964 14-Jul-2022 17:54

Batman:

reason? "we need to make sure the battery you install has sufficient quality Ah"

translation: "we have a deal with some battery manufacturers to only allow their products to be used".

Journeyman

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#2941965 14-Jul-2022 17:55

Relevant article:

Here’s How People Hacked Their Way Around The Paywall The Last Time BMW Made A Basic Feature A Subscription Service

snnet

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#2941966 14-Jul-2022 17:55

Benoire:

As a former BMW 550i owner, I take offence to the idea that our BMWs did not come with indicators. We paid for the prestige of the car and all its extras. We just feel we don't have to as we own the roads.

Hahaha, love it

Benoire

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#2941967 14-Jul-2022 18:00

I would say that Audi drivers are worse and that includes my partner with her Audi S4!

gzt

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#2941973 14-Jul-2022 18:21

Benoire: From a consumer perspective though if they are able to offer all of these features built in (assuming you are not paying extra for them) then the enabling them at the base price must be economical already as the SKU savings must be substantial to take this approach and they could be charging this simply because they can, not because they must as I can't imagine they would rely on a %age of users paying the fee as that has an unknown economic return.

This is exactly true. There are many products where the lux version is only a few cents more in manufacturing and marketers are able to command a higher price for the lux version of the same product. Marketing models are sophisticated and capable of making these predictions.

gzt

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#2941976 14-Jul-2022 18:40

Vehicle manufacturers gain ongoing after sales revenue from spare parts. Imo this is decreasing to zero as cars become more reliable. My Toyota hybrid required one genuine part in the 10 years since it rolled out of the factory. Electric cars - more of the same.

shk292

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#2942007 14-Jul-2022 20:42

The thing that amuses me is that every single one of these features was included as a no-cost feature in the Korean car I bought last year, for a small percentage of the price of the BMW.

I guess some people just have to have the badge. $500 to unlock Apple Car play. Seriously. I guess that's small money for the merchant-banker types who drive these things

Geektastic

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#2942012 14-Jul-2022 21:25

As the WEF says, you will own nothing and you’ll be happy.

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