[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/mercedes-eqs-to-charge-subscription-for-rear-wheel-steering\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/mercedes-eqs-to-charge-subscription-for-rear-wheel-steering\/","headline":"EQS To Charge Subscription For Rear-Wheel Steering","name":"EQS To Charge Subscription For Rear-Wheel Steering","description":"Mercedes-Benz have gone the software route and may now start charging fees for certain features. You can\u2019t teach a dog to meow, just like you can\u2019t teach an international corporation to stop being greedy. In an unfortunately unsurprising move, Mercedes-Benz has decided that buying their EQS electric car for a pittance that will likely be around \u00a380,000 simply doesn\u2019t cut it anymore and if you want rudimentary built-in features such as rear-wheel steering, you\u2019ll need to pay them a subscription […]","datePublished":"2021-08-04","dateModified":"2021-08-04","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Mercedes-EQS-To-Charge-Subscription-For-Rear-Wheel-Steering-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Mercedes-EQS-To-Charge-Subscription-For-Rear-Wheel-Steering-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/mercedes-eqs-to-charge-subscription-for-rear-wheel-steering\/","about":["ELECTRIC CARS","LATEST CAR NEWS","Mercedes-Benz"],"wordCount":431,"keywords":["EQS","Mercedes-Benz","Rear-Wheel Steering"],"articleBody":"Mercedes-Benz have gone the software route and may now start charging fees for certain features.You can\u2019t teach a dog to meow, just like you can\u2019t teach an international corporation to stop being greedy.In an unfortunately unsurprising move, Mercedes-Benz has decided that buying their EQS electric car for a pittance that will likely be around \u00a380,000 simply doesn\u2019t cut it anymore and if you want rudimentary built-in features such as rear-wheel steering, you\u2019ll need to pay them a subscription fee. Next, they are due to announce a separate subscription service for customers that want to be able to wind their windows down or use the air conditioning.It won\u2019t be cheap either. Reports suggest that the cost of being able to use the already-built-in feature of rear-wheel steering will cost \u20ac489 per year or \u20ac1169 for a 3-year subscription.Being the flagship saloon model for Mercedes\u2019 electric portfolio, many enthusiasts have found it particularly insulting that the company have decided to charge such an expensive fee for a feature that is part of the car and should be included regardless. Some may argue that cars have had options for years, where buyers can spec their cars with extra bells and whistles. However, in cases such as the EQS, the rear-wheel steering is a feature that all EQS models will be capable of as long as they have the hardware.What Mercedes-Benz is essentially doing is locking the feature with software and making owners pay extra to unlock it. Those that don\u2019t wish to pay an extra \u20ac489 per year (or roughly \u00a3420 per year) will not have access to the 10-degree rear-wheel steering that each EQS will technically be capable of. Without paying the subscription fee, the car will still be capable of 4.5 degrees of rear-wheel steering, just not the full 10 degrees that the car is capable of.If you\u2019re unfamiliar with rear-wheel steering, it\u2019s a feature that large vehicles such as lorries have used for years for enhanced manoeuvrability around tight corners. This has also been adopted by some high-end luxury and performance cars such as the EQS saloon, Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari F12TDF and Audi A8 for the purpose of greater handling and manoeuvrability as well.Reports suggest that this subscription plan will vary from country to country, so it will certainly be interesting to see how it is handled in the UK.Let us know your thoughts on the EQS\u2019s cheeky pricing model, in the comments.If you enjoyed this, you may also like: \u2018Is Car Software More Appealing Than Performance and Style?\u2019"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EQS To Charge Subscription For Rear-Wheel Steering","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/mercedes-eqs-to-charge-subscription-for-rear-wheel-steering\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]