NJ Bill Proposes to Finally Stop Car Manufacturers Charging You For This

Here's New Jersey bill I think we can all get behind!

If you have a vehicle with in-car features that you can't even use unless you pay an extra subscription, you may not be deprived for very much longer.

According to The Drive, New Jersey legislators and putting forth a bill that will prohibit vehicle manufacturers from requiring subscriptions in order to use certain in-car features. This would be for features that use components and hardware that are already in your car.

The bill states: 

"It shall be an unlawful practice and a violation...for a motor vehicle dealer or a manufacturer of motor vehicles sold or leased in this State to offer to a consumer a subscription service for any motor vehicle feature that (1) utilizes components and hardware already installed on the motor vehicle at the time of purchase or lease by the consumer; and (2)  would function after activation without ongoing expense to the dealer, manufacturer, or any third-party service provider."

In other words, if your car has the built-in capability to do something, they wouldn't be allowed to charge you an extra fee for using it. If it's built in your car, and it doesn't require ongoing expense to the dealer, manufacturer, or any third-party service provider to maintain the feature, you'd be able to use it, period.

A prime example of one of these features, as mentioned in this bill, is the use of seat-warmers. BMW is notorious for requiring a subscription fee for seat warmers. New Jersey winters can be particularly brutal. So imagine climbing into your expensive BMW on a frigid January morning, and not being able to warm your butt because you don't feel like paying extra. Pfft!

Frankly I don't understand how manufacturers were allowed to do this to begin with. Let's hope this bill gets passed, New Jersey!