Advisory: On-Demand Features
The rolling menu
Porsche Function On Demand
© press-inform – the press office
Cars are increasingly becoming computers on wheels. This brings completely new business models for the manufacturers, because it is even possible to order optional extras for a used car.
Who hasn’t been annoyed by this when buying a used car? The car in the vehicle exchange is a real dream car, but it is missing one or two optional extras that are really important to you. Maybe it’s the distance cruise control or the popular seat heating. Retrofitting is often impossible or, at best, expensive. But those times are now over. Tesla was one of the first car manufacturers to make it possible to order any extras later with its radio updates (over the air).
More and more car manufacturers are gradually offering this service for the new models, in which equipment details that have not been activated can be subsequently activated. The advantages come from the software sector and thus from the service country USA. The US insurance company Liberty Mutual has been advertising for some time with the slogan “pay only for what you need”. In theory, the system sounds simple in automobiles. The driver purchases an extra in a web shop or pays for it directly in the car’s infotainment system and then the desired function is wirelessly downloaded into the car’s system. However, every now and then the software plays a trick on the human being. This is no different with a PC than with a vehicle. With these purchase offers, the manufacturers kill several birds with one stone. They reduce the variants in production and thus the manufacturing costs. In addition, the price spiral is supposedly picked up a little more slowly, since surcharges are hidden in the web store. The bouquet of additional booking options also has advantages for motorists, because you only pay for an extra if you really want it. However, when you buy the car you have to check exactly what is on board, otherwise there will be additional costs.
Volkswagen has also implemented the new business model and installed a sales platform each for the ID fleet and vehicles with combustion engines – especially the Golf 8. For the former identity founder there are more systems to choose from than for the ID models, such as voice control for 269 euros. In contrast to other manufacturers, the Lower Saxony car manufacturer favors one-off payments instead of subscription models. If you want to make your loved ones happy, you can also purchase a voucher that can then be redeemed in the We Connect Shop. True to the motto: “Honey, I’m giving you the ACC automatic distance control for your birthday.” You can definitely be curious about the reaction of the recipient of this gift.
At BMW you can unlock various extras via the Connected Drive Store. As with the others, mostly for a limited period of time or permanently. The seat heating mentioned at the beginning costs 17 euros per month, 170 euros for one year and 270 euros for three years. If you book unlimited, you pay 385 euros. In order to get the latest maps for the navigation system, you have to transfer 89 euros to Munich every year – no ifs or buts! A steering wheel heating costs at least ten euros a month, if you want to park the car, you have to pay 18 euros and if you want to be entertained with acoustic effects while driving, you pay 150 euros. It is interesting that BMW charges 300 euros for Apple CarPlay preparation. Makes sense from the point of view of Munich, because enthusiastic app navigators whistle on the built-in pilot anyway.
The German premium manufacturers in particular have discovered subsequent activation for themselves. Good light is essential for many drivers. So if you buy a Porsche Taycan for at least 88,399 euros, you should also have the 1,479 euros for the LED matrix light with the euphonious name Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus in your pocket. But even among the Zuffenhausen electric disciples there may be some who look at the money. So if you opt for the monthly subscription for 36 euros in the Porsche Connect Store, you could be on the road for 44 months (the first three months are free) with extra lighting, i.e. three years and eight months. Porsche also charges eleven euros per month or a one-time payment of 419 euros for a route optimizer, the Porsche Intelligent Range Manager. Even one of the strengths of the models from Zuffenhausen, the adaptive power steering Plus, which adapts to the speed, has a one-time cost of 329 euros in the Taycan Connect Store. The situation is very similar at Audi. However, the Ingolstadt-based company is focusing on even more individuality and flexibility in its “Functions on Demand” service. The selection varies depending on the model and the running times are different than those of the Zuffenhauseners. In addition to a test month for one euro, you can use the Audi Q4 e-tron for six months (from 17 euros), one year (32 euros), three years (from 86 euros) or unlimited. Incidentally, the equipment booked later is vehicle-related and is simply taken over when it is sold.
Opel is still much closer to the people when it comes to post-payment business. In cars like the Corsa e, the e-Connect app, which can be used to call up or control various functions wirelessly, comes as standard. This includes the status of the battery or the app reports as soon as the next maintenance is due. As soon as you order a navigation system for at least 600 euros, the Rüsselsheim-based carmaker asks its customers to pay for the live data, such as traffic density, after 36 months. The situation is similar for Citroën and Peugeot. In the next few years, however, the individual Stellantis brands also want to install the subsequently bookable payment services for new models.