Imagine driving your new car off the lot, only to realize that the heated seats you see in the cabin require a £15 monthly fee to actually get warm. Or perhaps you’re cruising down the motorway and a notification pops up on your dashboard offering a “Performance Boost” for a one-time weekend fee of £30.

By 2026, this is no longer a dystopian projection; it is the “Software-Defined Vehicle” (SDV) reality. The automotive industry is undergoing its most significant business model shift since the invention of the assembly line, moving from a “one-and-done” sales transaction to a recurring “Features on Demand” (FoD) subscription economy.

The Shift from Hardware to “Hedge-Fund” Engineering

For decades, car manufacturers (OEMs) made their money selling physical hardware. If you wanted leather seats or a better sound system, you paid for the “Luxury Pack” at the point of purchase. Today, manufacturers are increasingly building every car … Continue reading >>>