[GTO]

Manufacturers are really salivating at the idea of subscriptions, but they have to realise that they are no Netflix, Spotify or Google Drive. The car world is a traditional world and if subscriptions come, they will be for the "entire car" (otherwise known as leases). But selling a car and then allowing features based on subscriptions? There is no way . Imagine what it would say for the brand if you bought a 40-lakh rupee Camry and then Toyota wanted to charge you 2000 / year to use cooled seats? Cheap, cheap, cheap. Ridiculously short-term gains for long-term pains.

Car brands are also forgetting that they already have "repeat billing" business from their customers, in the form of services & maintenance.

At best, I think the OEMs could charge for connectivity, like how Hyundai has in their latest cars for SOS calls & the like. But I don't expect these to ever get huge volume. Cars are pretty damn reliable today + our smartphones give us all the connectivity we need.

[momsonlydriver]

I am a die heart fan of Tesla but when I came across owners discussing having all the hardware in their car but could only use some features based on their trim it sounded buzzard. The varients have changes in wheel design, size, suspension, battery, glass roof or normal roof.

The rest of the parts are same. That means the cameras, seat heating and cooling function and host of features which is controlled through the large screen. There are options on the screen which prompts you to upgrade the subscription in order to use all the features!

It's really funny that after 1 years use you can no longer stream music or use your heated seats and steering wheel. Whats next? Subscription for lock and unlock?

But never the less I will still buy a Tesla. Their cars S,3,X,Y line up is indeed sexy.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by GTO

Manufacturers are really salivating at the idea of subscriptions, but they have to realise that they are no Netflix, Spotify or Google Drive. The car world is a traditional world and if subscriptions come, they will be for the "entire car" (otherwise known as leases). But selling a car and then allowing features based on subscriptions? There is no way . Imagine what it would say for the brand if you bought a 40-lakh rupee Camry and then Toyota wanted to charge you 2000 / year to use cooled seats? Cheap, cheap, cheap. Ridiculously short-term gains for long-term pains.
.

Thats what. It reminds me of the spectacle sales pitch joke, "its 2000 rupees (Pause) for the frame, 1000 for stalks (Pause), each (Pause), glasses are 1000 (Pause) each" Stop quoting when you see the customer flinch during a pause.
And a manufacturer like BMW, how much do they really expect to earn with thier volumes? Engine tunes etc, I understand.
A maruti, on the other hand, if it offered subscription for skip song on the stereo at 50 bucks a month, would still be cheap tactics, but profitable.

[viper_711]

The only scenario I can even think of a subscription is on ECU maps. If I am going to be taking the car out on a nice winding road or a long trip where extra power would be justified, I would consider paying a subscription for the period/month for a bump in the ECU maps.

[procrastinator]

It is lame to ask for subscription fees for features that already have hardware in place. The new(or ambitious) players could give those features for free at same price (for better market share)

If they are going to charge bomb of subscription fees when you combine all the existing hardware present, expect some modifications to standard softwares to enable them.

Yes it will void warranty but let us put it this way.
After 5 years of warranty, instead of replacing car, I am going to spruce it up with cool features!

If they want to have subscription fees, add it for features Which are useful and proprietary.
An example is Tesla’s Auto Pilot.

[CarNerd]

If manufacturers give us more options we would be happy instead of subscriptions. Even better would be to give choice of customized engine variants, interior features, etc. Some websites show "Build your own car" but all they do is offer some fixed packages instead of full customisation.

[swarnava.ch]

To be honest i feel this model with not succeed in India.
We have so many cases where we love to buy the lowest variant on offer and add Bling from aftermarket in the KarolBags and JC Roads. We get what we need from these shops at the fraction of the cost and feel happy.

Besides the above described poll kind of hints like the hardware for the hidden features will already be included so it kind of increases the initial acquisition cost for the customer.

This may be only a marketing gimmick.

Lastly as a consumer, I would like to pay upfront for features that I need (or not) rather than pay every month for the same.

This may still work for Software features only features like lane assist, adaptive cruse controls etc. but i think this will not be successful in the Indian context.

[COMMUTER]

If so, then they must pay us safekeeping charges for parking their equipment at our garage. They are just burying themselves deeper by getting greedier by the day.

Instead of giving modular setups which can allow one to choose any engine with any chassis/body, these crooks are trying to play us against our senses.

[viXit]

Originally Posted by viper_711

The only scenario I can even think of a subscription is on ECU maps. If I am going to be taking the car out on a nice winding road or a long trip where extra power would be justified, I would consider paying a subscription for the period/month for a bump in the ECU maps.

This is the only place I see it not being stupid, although now that you’ve sold it to me, it’s my engine and my car, I shouldn’t pay you for flicking my sport mode switch which I paid for when I bought my car.
But it isn’t as dumb as having heating coils in your seats but not being able to use them

Originally Posted by swarnava.ch

kind of hints like the hardware for the hidden features will already be included so it kind of increases the initial acquisition cost for the customer.

This may be only a marketing gimmick.

Lastly as a consumer, I would like to pay upfront for features that I need (or not) rather than pay every month for the same. .

Originally Posted by mayankk

For a manufacturer, isn't the real cost the installation of the hardware rather than running it? If it's already in the car, what's the point of restricting usage? .

So they’ll sell me a car and I don’t have to pay for the tech already installed in my car if I don’t want to use it?

Sounds stupid but the math sounds right.

But to put hints in perspective,think of this
You get into an accident because ESP OR Traction Control wasn’t part of your plan.
Are you ready to use a car which has all the modules installed but don’t work?

Imagine getting into an accident and not having airbags deploy because they’re not part of your subscription.
It’s going to be discussed as a joke and will only cause BAD PUBLICITY for the manufacturer.

Don’t make me pay for something you install in my car but doesn’t work!!

And if I don’t pay for It.
Make sure I don’t have the systems or equipment for the features I didn’t want, being carried around in my car as dead weight.

Another thing to consider is that
A LOT OF PEOPLE Perform small little tweaks and hacks in their car with coding and what not to activate features,
An example from this thread itself,

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

There is a thread for that.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...-features.html (BMW - Coding & enabling hidden features)

And even,

Originally Posted by GTO

The HUD further shows you critical warnings (e.g. door open) and cruise control information. I'm planning to add the song list here via coding

If these are the same features other customers are paying a fee for, it’s just piracy.

How are you going to deal with this problem?
Will you ever win a case against a person who’s paid for the hardware in his car and tweaked it to work?

Or are you going to install it for free?
That just means all that stuff is your property?
Why don’t you just stick to leasing cars instead of selling them then?

It’s the era of services and not products anymore I guess.
Companies are seeing the gains in repeated fees in the forms of subscriptions and not one time purchases.

[Carpainter]

I don't think it would be a good idea specially for India. First of all, it would not be prudent for mass market players like Suzuki, Hyundai etc. to actually install the hardware which cost a lot and then disable them only to activate for a small fee when one cannot guarantee how many people will actually opt for them. So the initial cost hence price will be high for a car as there is only one top model with all the bells and whistles already installed but may not be activated. It happens in software world where some features are paid extra and also in DTH services where some channels are charged but in cars when the hardware is already installed, it makes little sense to block them for want of subscription. Cost wise it would not be a sound idea for OEMs and the monthly or yearly subscription that they would expect to receive is not certain either. So it's a losing situation for both the manufacturers as well as the buyers. Hence voted for last option

[ach1lles]

Originally Posted by GTO

Cheap, cheap, cheap. Ridiculously short-term gains for long-term pains.

I'll tell you where this is headed: hear/see an ad on the console on start-up and shut down.
"This morning commute in your BMW was brought to you by Audible. We know your life sucks so listen to some audio books. What's that, how do we know your life sucks? Because you're listening to this ad silly. Catch you in the evening Mr Smith".
Subscribe to disable

[PrasunBannerjee]

Originally Posted by HR 16

There was/is(?) a similar option available for Tesla owners, where the all the versions of a particluar car model had the same battery but the lower versions had the battery capacity limited to 80 percent through software. They were given the option to upgrade to full capacity by paying some amount.

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

And more recently...

"For a few years now, Tesla started selling vehicles with upgradable software-locked capabilities, like 75 kWh battery pack software-locked at 60 kWh or higher power outputs enabled through software updates.

The most recent example is offering a $2,000 ‘Acceleration Boost’ for the Model 3 Dual Motor.

It unlocks roughly 50 hp in the Model 3 powertrain and shortens the 0 to 60 mph acceleration to 3.9 seconds."

Here's an equally bizarre one by Audi, on their sexy looking RS7

How fast your Audi RS7 Sportback can go isn’t determined by its engine, however. Instead, it’s decided by how much you fancy paying Audi when you order it. The RS7 Sportback is limited to 155mph as standard, but you can fork out for various performance packs that use software tweaks to bump this up to 174mph and 190mph – a bit like in-app upgrades on your phone.

Source: Carwow article and video below (at 6:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUOh...ture=emb_title

Originally Posted by GTO

At best, I think the OEMs could charge for connectivity, like how Hyundai has in their latest cars for SOS calls & the like. But I don't expect these to ever get huge volume. Cars are pretty damn reliable today + our smartphones give us all the connectivity we need.

Telematics is the possible subscription solution in my opinion, because the monthly fees is also justified as apart from only hardware within the car, there is a utilization of maybe a call center (has anyone watched Horrible Bosses? ) or connectivity via satellite or deployment of datacenter for tracking purposes etc. Even some IoT features should not fall under subscription.

Originally Posted by ach1lles

I'll tell you where this is headed: hear/see an ad on the console on start-up and shut down.
"This morning commute in your BMW was brought to you by Audible. We know your life sucks so listen to some audio books. What's that, how do we know your life sucks? Because you're listening to this ad silly. Catch you in the evening Mr Smith".
Subscribe to disable

Here are more:

• Watch an ad before car starts up. Pay additional for ad-free experience. Fully digital instrument cluster will make it possible.
• Listen to an ad before a number via Bluetooth hands-free is dialed. Pay additional for ad-free experience.
• Listen to an ad after engine is shut off. Only then doors will unlock and you can get out. Pay additional for ad-free experience.
• Something like Amazon Prime where you get privilege to jump the queue at service station.

If the bean counters looking for ways to monetize at automotive companies are reading this, consider this my CV for brainstorming consultant

[INJAXN]

Are they also planning to have just one model per car and install all the hardware/features in that one model and enable based on subscription basis.

If I do not subscribe, will they still charge me for hardware?

This makes no sense to me whatsoever.

[arighna.dutta]

Looks like automotive industry is inviting lot of hacking to their systems. They better be prepared.
Embrace to see locked and unlocked version of cars now selling in the new and used market in the future :-) .

[blackasta]

This was pioneered by Apple long back.
I had an older generation ipod touch (guess 2nd gen) that had bluetooth hardware built in, but Apple charged $10 for a software update that essentially enabled the bluetooth.
The same model is tried now for cars - as seemingly the 'subscription model' rather than 'ownership model' is in vogue now !

P.S - I guess this is already practiced in some degree (esp for cars which are also exported), that certain features are turned off by default, and some tweaking using a OBD tool can enable them. Although the companies have not asked money to enable them in customers' cars, and it's mostly enthusiasts who tweak at their risk.

Personally, I would want to use every feature that my car has, and when I'm buying the car to own it, I would expect all of the features to be usable for me right out of the showroom.