Editing Mercedes-Benz EQS rear-wheel steering requires subscription

In Germany, '''[[Mercedes Benz|Mercedes]]''' equips '''EQS''' vehicles with rear wheels that are capable of steering up to 10 degrees. However, customers who do not sign up for a subscription will only have a 4.5 degree range of rear wheel steering. The feature is not available for purchase outright, and enabling it costs €489 (about $571) a year or around €1,169 ($1,376) to activate the service for up to three years upfront.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Teague |first=Chris |date=26 Jul 2021 |title=Mercedes-Benz EQS Rear-Wheel Steer Requires Subscription |url=https://www.jdpower.com/automotive-news/mercedes-benz-eqs-rear-wheel-steer-requires-subscription |access-date=21 Aug 2025 |website=jdpower.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Tsui |first=Chris |date=26 Jul 2021 |title=Full Rear-Wheel Steering on Mercedes EQS Will Be $575 Annual Subscription in Germany: Report |url=https://www.thedrive.com/tech/41678/full-rear-wheel-steering-on-mercedes-eqs-will-be-575-annual-subscription-in-germany-report |access-date=21 Aug 2025 |website=The Drive}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Padeanu |first=Adrian |date=23 Jul 2021 |title=Mercedes Charging $575 Per Year In Germany For 10-Degree Rear Steering On EQS |url=https://www.motor1.com/news/521960/mercedes-eqs-rear-wheel-steering/ |access-date=21 Aug 2025 |website=motor1.com}}</ref>

== Background ==
Rear-wheel steering isn't a new technology as it has been around for decades, with the Nissan R31 Skyline pioneering the system back in 1985.<ref name=":2" />

With this feature, Mercedes is following the trend of modern car manufacturers: selling vehicles with the hardware capabilities to enable certain functionalities, then controlling access to said features by software-locking them behind a paywall. This marks a shift from how cars have worked since their invention, as they're no longer independent devices, requiring constant connection to the manufacturer's servers. This change isn't driven by necessity but rather represents a new business model prioritizing:

* Recurring revenue through [[Subscription service|subscription services]]
* [[Volkswagen car-location data-exposure incident|Collecting drivers’ data]] that is then sold to insurance companies

== How it works ==
Every EQS model is equipped with rear-wheel steering capable of a 10-degree range, but customers who do not pay for a subscription have this feature limited to 4.5 degrees. The process works like this:

* Full range is not available as a factory option<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
* It is only available as a yearly subscription (€489 a year or €1,169 for 3 years)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
* It cannot be bought outright for a one time charge<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

This means customers are paying for a hardware in their car that can never truly be theirs.

== See also ==

* [[BMW feature lockout scandal]]
* [[Mazda remote-start subscription]]
* [[BMW's heated seat subscription]]
* [[Software locks]]
* [[Audi Basic HVAC "Sync" Function Paywalled]]

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Mercedes Benz]]
[[Category:Mercedes Benz EQS]]