Well, that didn’t take long. Barely a month after BMW decided to offer Apple CarPlay as a subscription, we now know the company will soon expand the service to other features of the car. Munich quietly released the video you see above, which shows that the High Beam Assistant function will now only be made available if owner purchases it through the ConnectedDrive store.
Indeed, a quick perusal through the German store shows High Beam Assistant as being available for purchase soon, as will Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop&Go. It’s unclear if these features will be offered as a subscription or in a one-time transaction, but the site says that “available subscription periods can differ depending on the vehicle model,” so it’s likely to be the former.
It should be noted that these features are already options that cost extra – just like Apple CarPlay preparation – although the company is probably still working out the kinks of the pricing structure as we speak. Of course, you’ll only be able to purchase them if your car is already fitted with the necessary hardware, so those who did not tick those boxes in the options list are out of luck.
For now, the products are only present in stores in Europe, but given how quickly BMW rolled out CarPlay subscription across the globe, we expect other countries to follow suit. What do you think of this move? Sound off in the comments section after the jump.
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greedy af.
That may be true, but brand whores would pay anyway just to show to the rest of us they can afford it. It becomes something like a twisted status symbol.
Microtransactions on the car. Pay for Level 1 to access >180kmph, pay for Level 2 to access >220kmph, pay for Level 3 to access >260kmph.
BMW the way its meant to be played.
Good strategy. But just take it or leave it…..
cash is really king, for BMW
What bmw doing is smart.
Cause in a country like ours, we dont have a lot of features . Same goes to other brands.
At least we have the option to buy it instead of being left out
Quite smart not greedy
As above. BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Volvo, Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Kia and Hyundai
also do the same thing
You have to remember that you need to pay for the hardware to enable your vehicle to use it then you need to pay a monthly subscription to enable the option for YOU to be able use it. I don’t mind if they put it all the optional hardware on my vehicle at no cost and then charge a subscription but asking me to pay for the kit and then charging me to be able to use what I paid for is daylight robbery.
So DLCs coming to cars now aye?
There is no additional hardware and virtually no cost to implement these features on cars already sold in the country. Would make sense as an option but absolutely no sense as a subscription barring pricing it low enough to make sense. Otherwise just another corporate money grab.
disagree on this thought, adaptive cruise needs the lidar, stop & go as well needs additional hardware. basically they have to be pre-fitted and that comes at additional manufacturing costs
BMW adaptive cruise control one day suddenly no longer “Adaptive” because the subscription lapsed and the car rear ended a full load sand lorry at 120km/h.
BMW owner must now remember to pay their subscription fees, it’s an life vs death situation.
Amazing idea.
Not only do the hardware to use it will cost an extra but we got to pay a subscription to be able to use the hardware we purchased it for. That’s it, I’m not gonna buy a BMW if the vehicle I want has all these extra subscriptions.
ACC and Auto highbeams a subscription service?
LOL. Hahahahahahahaha
Hahaha. Good money making idea. How about subscription for air bag / seat belt / ABS . Dont pay u die. Or even better why not make the self explode after 10 years. If u dont want to pay the car explode, have to renew every year.
BMW is becoming AirAsia? Maybe soon, even Sports Mode, side mirror auto-fold and auto headlights/wipers will be pay-as-you-use features.
Let’s wait and see if traction control and ABS become paid features :D
Premium car company behaving like Tune Hotel.
Now u know who is stupid n who is smart
I have no desire for either option so I don’t GAS. :)
Utterly disgusting to adopt this strategy for a safety feature. I can understand for other items but this, no all wrong.