Credit: Tesla
Elon Musk announced on X early Wednesday that Tesla will no longer sell its Full Self-Driving feature as an option for its vehicles after February 14.
The semi-autonomous driver aid currently lists for $8,000 and is now capable of handling most driving as long as the person in the driver’s seat pays attention to the road to supervise its operation. One owner recently rode coast-to-coast in a Model 3 without ever needing to take over control of the vehicle.
Instead, Tesla will offer it exclusively on a subscription basis, which is currently available for $99 per month. Musk didn’t say if the pricing would change after Feb. 14.
All new Teslas are equipped with the hardware required for FSD to work, although it has been upgraded in the most recent models to handle the latest consumer version of the system.
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Tesla is also testing a more advanced version in the Robotaxi ride-hailing fleet it currently runs through a pilot program in Austin, Texas. The company’s long-term vision is to update the software in all Teslas so that private owners can join the ride-hailing service and let it use their cars when they don’t need them, but there is no firm timetable for when that might happen.
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The price of Full Self-Driving has fluctuated over the years, reaching a high of $15,000 in 2022. Musk once touted it as an “appreciating asset” that would be worth more when the fully autonomous software is developed, but only about 12% of Tesla buyers have been buying it, as of the latest company reports.
Tesla has also been trialing Full Self-Driving’s ability to deliver vehicles to customers without anyone on board.
