The Most Expensive Over-The-Air Updates And Subscriptions Available

Over-the-air updates have been one of the biggest automotive innovations in recent years. While in the early days, cars only had the ability to receive minor improvements remotely, such as software updates for the infotainment system or additional map content for navigation, these days remote upgrades have gotten more extreme, adding new features to the car or making mechanical and performance upgrades without ever having to see the inside of a garage. The rise of over-the-air updates has arrived in tandem with that of the subscription model, which allows users to upgrade their existing vehicles with new features or activate ones that were already built into the vehicle but hadn’t been switched on at the point of purchase.

However, these upgrades sometimes come with a large price tag; here are some of the most expensive over-the-air updates available on the market, whether they come as a one-off purchase or a subscription.

7 BMW Driving Assistant Plus

$950 or $20/month

BMW has a long and controversial history with subscription-based services. After launching a heated seats subscription in 2022, the company attracted a substantial amount of backlash and eventually backpedaled. Other subscription features, however, remained available. These include Remote Engine Start, Driver Recorder, Traffic Camera and other features. While some can be purchased with a one-off payment, others are only available on a subscription basis (such as the Traffic Camera which can only be had with a $25 annual payment). The list of subscription features available in the US is smaller compared to BMW’s offering in other markets; only time will tell if this is a successful enough model to attract further expansion, although the data available so far is quite promising.

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One of the most expensive over-the-air updates available is the Driving Assistant Plus with Stop & Go package. This allows the car to support the driver in a variety of everyday driving situations, such as keeping the required distance from the car in front, accelerating according to a set maximum speed and braking according to the flow of traffic. As well as the one-off purchase and the monthly subscription, customers can also opt for a 3-year ($580) or 1-year ($210) option.

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6 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Upgrade

$995

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is already a quick SUV in its GT trim, but for some drivers even that is not enough. The Performance Upgrade slashes the Mach-E’s 0-60 time by half a second (from 3.8 to 3.3 seconds) and adds 100 lb-ft of torque (from 600 lb-ft to 700 lb-ft); the quarter-mile time also gets cut down, from 12.4 to 11.8 seconds. Until this year, the Performance Upgrade was only available as a “traditional” option to be selected at the point of purchase. However, Ford claims that customer feedback showed drivers wanted more options to become available as an over-the-air update, and they were happy to satisfy the request. In July, the company announced the Performance Upgrade is now available as a remote upgrade, which Mach-E owners can buy through the FordPass app for $995.

Not much detail is available regarding how a remote software update can add such a large power boost, but Chet Dhruna, Ford’s General Manager of Integrated Services, has described the Performance Upgrade as having “innovative powertrain thermal modeling and control algorithms.” Ford has also announced plans to introduce more over-the-air software upgrades in the future.

5 Polestar 2 68-hp Boost

$1,195

At the end of 2022, Polestar announced that North American owners of the Polestar 2 sedan, more specifically its Long Range Dual Motor version, were now eligible for an over-the-air update that would give the car a substantial power boost. This update was Polestar’s first venture into the world of remote performance upgrades; it had already been made available in nine European markets (the UK, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Austria) a year ago, at roughly the same price. With an additional 68 hp, the upgrade brings the car’s power output up to 476 hp; it also adds an extra 15 lb/ft of torque, for a total of 487 lb/ft.

4 Ford BlueCruise

$2,100/three years

Ford’s hands-free highway driving assistance system, BlueCruise, has attracted almost as much controversy as its more famous Tesla counterpart. After being in use at the time of two fatal crashes, both of which happened in low lighting conditions, BlueCruise has raised questions regarding its functionality when visibility is poor. The NHTSA has launched a probe into the system, which may result in recalls in the future. However, for the time being, BlueCruise is still being offered, with numerous disclaimers regarding the need to keep your eyes on the road and be ready to step in if needed.

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The price of BlueCruise was also recently raised, attracting the fury of existing Mach-E owners who will now have to pay much higher prices to continue using the feature. While previously three years’ worth of BlueCruise could be had for $600, the new price of a three-year subscription is three and a half times that; if the three-year subscription is too much of a long-term commitment, BlueCruise is also available for $800 per year or $75 per month. BlueCruise is currently available on the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 and F-150 Lightning, Expedition, and Explorer.

3 Mercedes EQS Power Boost

$2,950 or $900/year or $90/month

Mercedes has also jumped on the over-the-air power boost bandwagon, offering packages for the sedan and SUV variants of the EQE350 and EQS450 models. The latter has the more expensive upgrade package of the two ($2,950 against the EQE’s $1,950). The power boost is also more substantial, adding 80 horsepower (the EQE’s upgrade only adds 60).

This cuts the EQS’ 0-60 time by 0.8 seconds for the sedan (from 5.3 to 4.5 seconds) and 0.9 seconds for the SUV (from 5.8 to 4.9 seconds). As well as a one-time payment and a monthly subscription, the upgrade is also available as a yearly offer for $900. The update is called the “Acceleration Boost” and is available for purchase or subscription through the “Mercedes me Connect” app.

2 Tesla Bundle Offer (FSD + Supercharging + Premium Connectivity)

$5,000/three years

Tesla has been encouraging its customers to try its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature for a while now, and its latest move to entice drivers consists of a bundle offer, where FSD is combined with Supercharging and premium connectivity services. The new bundle is exclusive to the Model S and Model X. This is the latest move in a series of special offers and price cuts aimed at increasing uptake of the FSD feature, which has been plagued by issues and controversy since its launch (not least because of its slightly misleading name).

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There is also a catch: the bundle only really pays for itself if you make extensive use of the Supercharger network. With typical EV use, which involves charging the vehicle primarily at home with occasional use of public chargers, the numbers don’t quite work. However, if you spend a lot of time on the move and want to make use of FSD features, this might still be the bundle for you.

1 Tesla Full Self-Driving

$8,000 or $99/month

While some Tesla drivers will choose to try FSD as part of the three-feature bundle, others will prefer to buy or try it as a standalone service; as demand has fallen in recent months, the company has been slashing the price of FSD to attract new customers. Once sitting at a high of $15,000, the FSD price tag was cut to $12,000 in April (with the monthly subscription being cut by half, from $199 to $99). Four months later, at the start of August, another price cut arrived: this time, only the one-time purchase price was affected, going down to $8,000.

Sources:
JDPower.com