Heated Seats And Heated Steering Wheel, BMW’s Subscription Plans For The S. Koreans

Just like mobile phones and video games, cars are now also coming with subscription plans that provide further upgrades to its features.

Yes, there are other automakers doing the same thing, but recently, BMW has come up with one for its South Korean market.

It is accessible through BMW’s ConnectedDrive Store, which is an online platform used by existing owners to download a variety of apps.

For instance, owners can subscribe for heated seats to be fitted with either a monthly fee for KRW 24,000 (RM 81), a 1-year plan for KRW 231,106 (RM 781), or 3 years for KRW 371,609 (RM 1,256).

A permanent subscription for the feature is also offered at KRW 533,011 (RM 1,801), and with the heated seats, BMW provides a one-month test period free of charge.

On top of that, a similar subscription is offered for a heated steering wheel feature at KRW 13,133 (RM 44) per month, KRW 120,828 (RM 408) annually, and KRW 211,537 (RM 714) for 3 years. 

Alternatively, just like the other feature’s plans, it can be purchased permanently for KRW 291,700 (RM 985).

Elsewhere, the store also offers upgrades for the headlights that include a high-beam assistant, additional safety systems and the camera-based Driver Recorder.

Last but not least, the IconicSounds Sport, a feature that plays fake engine noises through the car's speakers for a cost of permanently owning it at KRW 181,237 (RM 612).

That said, all these software upgrades are great, but imagine a smartphone-like jailbreak is applied to unlock all the features without having to pay the automaker. How can this be overcome?