Buy a new car and you'd think the features you see are the features you own. Not anymore. Carmakers are carving up what was once standard equipment and selling it back to buyers for a monthly fee turning basic creature comforts into a permanent revenue tap.
BMW made headlines by charging drivers to activate heated seats that were already bolted in at the factory. The backlash? Swift and fierce. BMW eventually backed down, but not before earning a reputation for trying to bill customers twice for the same luxury they'd always taken for granted.
Motorcycle makers are at it, too. KTM's latest Adventure models greet new owners with every ride mode unlocked for 1,500 kilometers. After that, you'd better pony up for a software unlock if you want that delicious rally mode or the quickshifter to stay alive. It doesn't stop with cars and bikes: Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are charging for remote start, navigation, and even performance upgrades. Tesla, of course, leads with paywalled full self-driving packages.
The pushback is finally picking up speed. New York's Senate Bill S5708 could rip the business model out by the roots banning subscription fees for features already installed in your car when you drive it off the lot. Violators would face a $250 fine per sale, ending the days of manufacturers chasing drivers for microtransactions on hardware they've already paid for.
The real question: Will the rest of the country catch on before your next new car turns into a subscription trap?
