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You won’t pay extra to “unlock” heated seats.
Cars are more like computers these days, and that’s especially true with electric vehicles. As a result, many automakers have started charging fees for software updates or lock features behind a monthly subscription. If you buy a Volvo, you won’t have to worry about that nonsense.
According to Bloombergwho spoke to Volvo’s chief operating officer, the company won’t charge owners for features like heated seats and won’t charge customers for basic features.
Many of Volvo’s rivals, like BMW, want owners (non-US) to pay an extra $18 a month to unlock heated seats or $12 a month for high beam assist. So other features like adaptive cruise control will cost even more. That’s on top of paying top dollar for the car, not to mention those features are already built into BMW vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz charges $1,200 a year to unlock additional performance in several of its electric cars. We’re seeing a similar move from Polestar, though that $1,200 is a one-time fee and can be passed on to a new owner.
All of these microtransactions and subscription fees are the worst trend in the automotive space, and Volvo is essentially calling them all. Volvo’s chief operating officer, Björn Annwall, said: “If you are going to charge for software updates, it has to be a game changer for the benefit of the consumer.”
Following that sentiment, he mentioned that Volvo might charge owners for significant upgrades like self-driving systems, but not for all the little things we see from the competition.
Judging by all the backlash and negative press that other automakers have received for these decisions, this is a smart move by Volvo. It’s taking a completely different approach than many others in the segment. So keep this in mind when shopping for a new EV in 2023.
via Business Insider
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