My wife's 2009 Toyota hybrid has an electric power steering pump, as did the much earlier Priuses. Never heard much about power steering problems with them and they continue to use it on their new hybrids. I'm pretty sure that seat belts and air bags add to the cost of vehicles but you don't have to pay real close attention and you will read many ag talkers recount tales of how those "nanny" features have prevented serious injuries or death of loved ones.
When you start comparing reliability and maintenance of any BMW component, most folks will say that beemers are expensive to maintain, once they get a bit of age on them. Meanwhile, in spite of all the hoopla and hand wringing about steer-by-wire, with no mechanical backup, I bought a steer-by wire tractor in 2003. It drives better, using a Nav II controller, than anyone could do manually and has given absolutely no problems in 20+ years of use.