Car extras always existed, and they will always keep existing. If someone doesn't want to pay for heated seats, right now, the car manufacturer will ensure that

Car extras always existed, and they will always keep existing. If someone doesn't want to pay for heated seats, right now, the car manufacturer will ensure that the hardware just isn't there or is somehow disabled, even if it costs them more to ensure that you don't have access that extra. As a second-hand owner, or just the owner who changed their mind later down the line, there is an obvious benefit to being able to purchase an extra without going to a dealership or a mechanic and incurring in extra costs in replacing the whole part – you really wouldn't bother for something like heated seats. What the car manufacturer is saying here is that they would prefer to ship the extra part in all the cars because it doesn't cost them that much and letting the owner (or next owner) change their mind is an obvious benefit, but that if they're not allowed to charge extra for a part that they already shipped, then they will keep on ripping out or damaging the part before it gets sold.