Manufacturers charging extra for the most ridiculous things has become something of an industry trend in recent years. Remember BMW’s infamous subscription-based heated seats or its attempt to charge a monthly fee for Apple CarPlay? Thankfully, that nonsense is now gone following extensive backlash, but BMW wasn’t the only automaker guilty of such atrocities.
Mercedes makes you pay a subscription fee for a power boost on the electric EQE and EQS, despite the powertrain having that capability by default. Then there is Toyota’s key fob remote start, which requires users to be subscribed to its Remote Connect service. You probably get the point. The situation is a little out of hand, to put it mildly, but the absurdity may have reached new heights courtesy of Hyundai.
Hyundai
As reported by Motor1, Hyundai is now offering its digital 9.9-inch instrument cluster as a paid extra on the base Elantra sedan (known as the Avante locally in Korea) and Ioniq 3 electric hatchback. The models, together with the Grandeur flagship sedan, were recently equipped with Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system, which runs on Android Automotive OS.
Only the South Korean market will be getting it for the time being, but Hyundai wants to roll it out on about 20 million vehicles globally by 2030. That includes models from Kia and Genesis, while the Ioniq 3 will be the first one to get it in Europe. Going back to our initial point, though, the manufacturer will charge an additional 350,000 Korean won ($255) on the Avante just for the privilege of having your speed in direct sight at all times.
Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on the central display, forcing you to constantly take your eyes off the road. The whole thing makes very little sense, if any at all. Hyundai is giving customers a large display measuring either 12.9 or 14.6 inches on the Avante and Ioniq 3, while the more essential instrumentation has become optional for cost-cutting purposes. It’s hard to see the logic behind that.
Where Should We Finally Draw The Line?
Wide shot of the Hyundai Ioniq 3 dashboardHyundai
This is no longer just a matter of unsavory business practices, because it can also have a very real impact on safety and driver focus. That honestly seems like a step too far, and we once again have to pause and wonder where the industry might be heading as a whole. What’s next? The steering wheel as an optional add-on? Starting your car and having to watch an ad before you can take off? Truthfully, it’s not hard to imagine a future where that’s the norm.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
For a long time, there was a trend of features that were once considered luxurious or cutting-edge becoming commonplace. Think air conditioning, power windows, and airbags, just to name a few. Now it seems like the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction, and not even the all-important instruments are safe from the wrath of cost-cutting initiatives. It remains to be seen how the wider public will react to Hyundai’s move, as it certainly isn’t an easy pill to swallow.
No one likes to feel like they’re being ripped off, so consumers have legitimate reasons to be concerned with the way things are going in the auto industry right now. Car ownership might start looking very different a few years down the road, and it appears we might actually be going backward in certain regards. Let’s hope the future doesn’t have to be so bleak, though.
Source: Motor1
