BMW doubles down on divisive car subscription features – but admits its 'heated seats' furore was a mistake

Micro-transactions aren't going away anytime soon

06 Feb 2026, 01:00 · TechRadar

News By Leon Poultney published 6 February 2026

(Image credit: BMW)

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Charging for access to heated seats didn't go down well
BMW admits it was a mistake but continues to explore subscription models
More companies are turning towards micro-transactions to boost profits

BMW sparked controversy in 2022 when it floated the idea of a new ‘Functions on Demand’ program, which would charge owners to gain access to preinstalled hardware. In particular, the idea that owners would have to pay a monthly fee to access heated seats raised more than a few eyebrows.

The German marque was quick to clarify at the time that, should a customer specify heated seats, they would "remain fully operational for the life of the vehicle". But the company said that additional features, such as using existing camera hardware as a dash cam, would still be offered as a premium software subscription.

More recently, BMW head of product communications Alexandra Landers told drive.com.au that introducing the 'on-demand' service with a heated seat and steering wheel subscription model was “probably not the best way to start with it”.

However, Landers also defended the model, stating "you have cloud use, and that is cost" and added that "if you use it, we have to pay for it". She also confirmed that the company is still exploring the idea that customers may want to unlock additional features for a fee in the future.

The upcoming iX3, for example, will be available with a subscription to the 360-degree camera, as well the company’s Tesla FSD-rivaling Driving Assistant Pro package, which offers advanced cruise control with automatic lane changing and more.

“With these established digital offerings, we offer our customers even more comfort and flexibility in line with their individual wishes after they purchase a vehicle,” a BMW spokesperson told The Drive when asked to clarify its standing on the matter.

But BMW is not the only manufacturer to come under fire for offering additional capability as a subscription service.

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