BMW Is Giving Up on Heated Seat Subscriptions Because People Hated Them::The blowback worked—but subscriptions for software-based new car features will continue, according to a BMW board member.

  • fubo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    168
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Did cars peak around 2016? That’s when you could get a plug in hybrid, with Bluetooth audio, a rear view camera, but no spyware or mandatory subscriptions. Sure they’d pester you to get SiriusXM but you could just say no.

    • bamboo@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      47
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      I’m not sure I’d agree on no spyware. Systems like OnStar are still tracking locations and are deeply integrated into the car. But at least this is before they subscription-ized basic features.

      • Ton@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Peak car was 1990-1994, largely mechanical, little electronics and reliable as hell. My Merc from that time is built like a tank and everything is screwed together, not glued.

        • bug@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          All good until someone smashes into you and you discover how far safety features have come in three decades!

          • Ton@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            Of course, the biggest security feature is sitting in the drivers seat.

            • bug@lemmy.one
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Assuming you mean that you yourself are a good driver who doesn’t get into crashes, that’s why I said “until someone smashes into you”, as in the crash that is completely out of your control!

              • Ton@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                1 year ago

                True, but that you can also largely influence by defensive driving. When I rode 80 tkm a year for 15 years I’ve literally seen everything but was never part of it.

        • uint8_t@feddit.de
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          early '90s? nah, give me fuel injection, catalytic converter, ABS, and airbags, please

    • flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      2005 - 2018 - Many decent cars were made in this period. Aside from all the pollution. And emissions fraud.

      It 's the pinnacle of the small SUV fashion (I like them, sue me) but you could still get sedans and station wagons as well. Mechanical controls still ruled, no single touchscreens. Good audio was the norm, rear cameras not so much but you could get one. Small turbocharged diesels have the best fuel economy possible for a pure combustion engine.

      Most importantly no online connection or subscriptions of any kind. I love the idea of electric propulsion. But in the current market it comes with so much undesirable baggage.

      • mean_bean279@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 year ago

        I think most importantly it was that they often didn’t have an infotainment with everything integrated in it and that regular cars still were mostly using double din head units which are perfect to swap out. It’s a standard that we should have kept but didn’t. ☹️