--- title: "BMW Makes Heated Seats an $18/Month Subscription Service—Again" description: "BMW is testing out monthly subscription fees for options for heated seats, automatic high beams, and more in Korea." date: "2022-07-11" modified: "2022-07-11" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/bmw-is-charging-a-subscription-fee-for-heated-seats-again" categories: - "BMW News" - "Car Tech" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "BMW" --- # BMW Makes Heated Seats an $18/Month Subscription Service—Again ![]() BMW has toyed with charging [monthly subscriptions]() for certain digital ["Connected Drive]()" options for a few years, testing the waters in different markets with different features. Korea is the latest market for subscription-based options, and customers can now pay monthly for physical options such as heated seats and a heated steering wheel. As cynical as that might sound, Korean owners aren't forced to pay monthly for heated seats, or any of BMW's other available options, but monthly payments can be made to try those out. Heated seats, for instance, cost ₩24,000 (roughly $18) per month. But you can also pay for a year subscription ($176), a three-year subscription ($283), or you can buy the heated seats permanently ($406). Some other options available with monthly or yearly subscriptions are a high beam assistant, BMW's Driving Assistance Plus software, a heated steering wheel, and an artificial noise generator to give electric cars like the [i4 M50 a sci-fi noise while driving](). Those will be available for different fees, and some can be added to a customer's car immediately via computer or smartphone. ![]() *BMW* There may be other avenues to enable the options, potentially. For something like heated seats, where the function is paywalled by software, I can easily see modders figuring out how to jailbreak the system and unlock the option for free. [Volkswagen owners]() have done similar things to older VWs for more than a decade by using simple OBDII-based tools and laptops to unlock lighting modes and window functions, for instance. More recently, [Ford Maverick]() owners learned they can unlock cruise control on entry-level Mavericks, simply by swapping out the steering wheel buttons and using some software. So it isn't a stretch to assume BMW enthusiasts will figure out how to do the same thing for heated seats, heated steering wheels, and other options that the car already physically has equipped. *Got a tip? Send it in to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()