Instrument Clusters Are Now Paid Extras in Two Hyundai Models
Hyundai has begun charging customers extra for instrument cluster displays in its new Elantra and Ioniq 3 models. This move marks a shift toward monetizing standard hardware features that were previously included in base vehicle trims.
Why it matters
It highlights a growing trend in the automotive industry of 'feature-gating' or unbundling standard hardware to increase profit margins through software-defined vehicle architectures.
Hyundai is charging customers extra for a driver’s display in the new Elantra generation (a.k.a. the Avante in Korea), as well as in the new Ioniq 3. The two models feature Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect infotainment system, which is bound for the United States. Hyundai is charging customers $255 to add the 9.9-inch instrument cluster display to the Avante, while the base Ioniq 3 misses out on the option entirely. Remember when iPhones used to come with free headphones and a phone charger (including the wall plug)? It didn’t feel so much like Apple giving you free goodies as it did that the company was providing you with the relevant hardware to use the device. Apple stopped including headphones and charging blocks in 2020.
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