There was a time when the vehicle you left the showroom with was the vehicle you'd be stuck with for the foreseeable future. If you ended up without an optional extra you actually wanted, it was too late to change your mind. Unless, of course, you were a fan of aftermarket upgrades. But this was all before the digital era, and BMW has introduced a range of innovative software updates that will dramatically enhance feature availability and flexibility for customers.

For instance, if you own a BMW 5 Series but haven't chosen options such as heated seats or Active Cruise Control, a future owner of the same car who does want these functions can unlock them via the latest software. Alternatively, an owner could trial a certain feature for 90 days before committing to it for a longer period, or simply buy it for permanent use.

The latest digital features are included by default for all new BMWs with the Operating System 7, including the 2021 BMW 5 Series. Vehicles sold prior to July 2020 can receive the updates via a no-charge over-the-air upgrade. Among the enhancements that come with the update is faster BMW Maps/navigation, connected charging, and the BMW Digital Key that can turn your iPhone into a secure key for your car.

But it's the ability to add new features on-demand, thanks to the Remote Software Upgrade system first introduced in 2018, that is the big talking point. IconicSounds Sport, which channels the car's sound into the cabin, is another digital follow-up feature that can be added at a later stage. In the example below, Melina Aulinger from BMW explains how features can be customized on the same vehicle from one owner to the next via the BMW Connected Drive Store. Scroll along to the 2:39 mark for the example given.

Considering the sheer scope and cost of optional extras that are typical of German luxury sedans, we can see the value in customizing a car to your exacting needs over a longer period of time. Of course, the second benefit is that owners buying a used BMW won't have to spend ages shopping around for the ideal specification - they can simply find a car in a suitable condition and then make it their own by personalizing it digitally.

Clearly, over-the-air updates and their potential for customization are here to stay. It now remains to be seen whether customers will take advantage of these digital services and, in terms of BMW's new offering, whether the cost of temporarily subscribing to several features makes sense instead of just purchasing them outright.