3 ms·

Let me introduce you to our good 'friend' Control Module.

BoorishBears 4y ago
*friends, my 435i has something like 30 ECUs But people still do find defeats for most of those. The reality is BMW doesn't care because the average person won't bother with any of that and will just pay.
- _zzaw 4y ago
  I'm not sure the average person drives a BMW. I don't know, maybe if you can afford to drive a BMW, you don't mind having to rent something you already bought. I have a feeling that if Honda or Toyota pulled this shit, nobody would buy the models that had it. Renting things like heated seats? It feels bizarre to even have to discuss such a dystopically stupid idea.
  - BoorishBears 4y ago
    Where to begin... First off, saying "the average person would do X" is a hypothetical. It doesn't mean they're in that situation: "If given choice between modifying car and paying money, will pay money" Second, the article is about BMW, so even if you missed that it'd still be pretty easy to infer an average person amongst their customers... Third, what's with the weird dig against people for owning BMWs. Different people can want different things... and there's a reason Toyota's halo sports car is rolling around with a BMW powerplant. Fourth, Toyota started this is 5 years ago by paywalling remote start not just with the app, but with your normal physical key fob: https://ktvo.com/news/auto-matters/costs-associated-with-entune-and-toyotas-connected-services https://ktvo.com/news/auto-matters/costs-associated-with-ent... They even doubled down and removed the physical button on newer models!: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/toyota-remote-start-digital-pay-subscription/ https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/toyota-remote-start-digit...
  - sumtechguy 4y ago
    It is a silly idea 100%. However, I think BMW knows its customer here. I like to chat up the repair people sometimes. The one conversations that stuck with me for years after bringing in my older BMW. "oh wow have not seen one of these in awhile" (it was 8 years old at that point). "huh, what do you mean?" "oh most of what we deal with in here is lease". A lease is pretty much subscribing to a car service with terrible financial terms. There are plenty of people out there that make decent money but are bad at managing it.
    - ClumsyPilot 4y ago
      well, terrible is a relative term, maybe they make so much they don't care. Everyone buying iPhone knows it's not a financially optimal decision
MerelyMortal 4y ago
Is the control module built into the heating pads themselves?
- anakaine 4y ago
  I fail to see how it matters, really. Heating is generally pretty straight forward. Apply current, get heat. Bypass the module altogether and stick something else in its place?

*friends, my 435i has something like 30 ECUs But people still do find defeats for most of those. The reality is BMW doesn't care because the average person won't bother with any of that and will just pay.

_zzaw 4y ago
I'm not sure the average person drives a BMW. I don't know, maybe if you can afford to drive a BMW, you don't mind having to rent something you already bought. I have a feeling that if Honda or Toyota pulled this shit, nobody would buy the models that had it. Renting things like heated seats? It feels bizarre to even have to discuss such a dystopically stupid idea.
- BoorishBears 4y ago
  Where to begin... First off, saying "the average person would do X" is a hypothetical. It doesn't mean they're in that situation: "If given choice between modifying car and paying money, will pay money" Second, the article is about BMW, so even if you missed that it'd still be pretty easy to infer an average person amongst their customers... Third, what's with the weird dig against people for owning BMWs. Different people can want different things... and there's a reason Toyota's halo sports car is rolling around with a BMW powerplant. Fourth, Toyota started this is 5 years ago by paywalling remote start not just with the app, but with your normal physical key fob: https://ktvo.com/news/auto-matters/costs-associated-with-entune-and-toyotas-connected-services https://ktvo.com/news/auto-matters/costs-associated-with-ent... They even doubled down and removed the physical button on newer models!: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/toyota-remote-start-digital-pay-subscription/ https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/toyota-remote-start-digit...
- sumtechguy 4y ago
  It is a silly idea 100%. However, I think BMW knows its customer here. I like to chat up the repair people sometimes. The one conversations that stuck with me for years after bringing in my older BMW. "oh wow have not seen one of these in awhile" (it was 8 years old at that point). "huh, what do you mean?" "oh most of what we deal with in here is lease". A lease is pretty much subscribing to a car service with terrible financial terms. There are plenty of people out there that make decent money but are bad at managing it.
  - ClumsyPilot 4y ago
    well, terrible is a relative term, maybe they make so much they don't care. Everyone buying iPhone knows it's not a financially optimal decision

MerelyMortal 4y ago

Is the control module built into the heating pads themselves?

anakaine 4y ago
I fail to see how it matters, really. Heating is generally pretty straight forward. Apply current, get heat. Bypass the module altogether and stick something else in its place?