New cars never end

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We happily configure our new car and go through the list of options. Since the streets in our city are well lit at night, we free ourselves from automatic headlights and prefer cooler rims. But a few months after we got our new car, we moved to the country. We now often drive at night on unlit country roads and dark forests – and an automatic headlight or even a matrix light will now be more useful than cold rims.

Strengthening? Until now, this was only possible in conjunction with a costly visit to the workshop and cost – if possible. However, new optional functions now allow certain extras and special equipment to be retrofitted to selected new cars, unlocking these pre-installed options. With a user account at the manufacturer, you can purchase extras in the car’s infotainment system in the app or in the web store. Manufacturers often offer functionality such as a subscription with a monthly or annual fee, or unlock for an unlimited period of time with a one-time purchase. So our problem of missing automatic headlights can be easily fixed online for a click fee.

More flexibility for golf

VW introduced this optional option with the eighth version of the Golf in mid-2020. Optional functions are also available for electrified VW ID models since the end of last year. With this, VW wants to offer customers more flexibility, says Alexander Braun (51) head of Digital Experience. “Until now, a car’s range of functions – namely its equipment – ​​has been virtually unchanged after production. The upgrades now offer our customers the opportunity to relax and adapt their own car from home if their specific needs change.” That’s why a car is almost never finished and, thanks to updates, can be constantly adapted to the taste and needs of the customer.

Porsche has also been offering optional functions since 2019, but only for electric Taycan models. Responsible product manager Dominik Scherer (33) explains that all the extras that can be unlocked later must speak to the essence of the brand: “Sporty driving and driving in general is what makes Porsche Porsche. That’s why our optional functions are always connected with drive, chassis and assistance systems. It will be relevant.” Small one-off tricks of ten francs, such as three additional colors for ambient light, should not be found in Porsche.

Get to know the assistant systems

Scherer sees optional functions as a good way to gradually introduce Porsche drivers to new technical assistants. “The high costs of new assist systems can discourage customers. As an optional function, they can try assistants without any financial risk and perhaps realize their added value.” Because if you book a subscription with Porsche, you get extras for free for the first three months. “If a customer finds that a selected feature is not for them, they can cancel the service on a monthly basis.” With a subscription, Porsche extras cost from 10 to 38 francs. If you want to buy indefinitely, you pay between CHF 399 and CHF 1,559 once. This is little more than customers ordering extra at the time of purchase. For the time being, extras should continue to be ordered primarily at time of purchase.

To be able to offer optional functions, manufacturers must of course install the necessary equipment in the vehicle at the factory. At first glance, a single model is therefore more expensive, but manufacturers can still achieve cost savings. First, they can order more components and enjoy bulk discounts. Secondly, production becomes easier as more identical parts can be assembled despite individual equipment. The corresponding extra is simply activated via a software adjustment via a wireless update. Porsche particularly benefits from this. The sports car manufacturer’s claim to produce the most personal car ever resulted in a complex production that included many unique variants. These can now be reduced with optional functions.

Extras for used cars too

But for Porsche, the next extras are above all an investment in the future. “We are improving the lifespan of our models. With optional functions, our customers can tailor their vehicles to their needs throughout its entire lifecycle,” says Scherer. This is especially true for used cars. “With functions on demand, we can also offer our personal car belief for used Porsches.” An important factor for Porsche, because all sold cars It is said that 70 percent of 911s are still on the road.

Not much can be said about the success of the new optional functions. Most tools that offer extras that can be activated later are still owned by their original buyers. Porsche and VW expect a huge increase in subsequent extra bookings as soon as these vehicles change hands.

As long as there are simple software functions and the necessary hardware is available, there is almost no limit to the next extras. VW already has clear ideas about the direction it should go. Alexander Braun: “Additional engine power, more range or autonomous driving could be considered.” And of course VW also wants to make money with optional functions in the future.

Source: Blick