Image: Tesla
Tesla finally launched its long-awaited Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscriptions in the U.S. on Friday, introducing a monthly pricing model for the Autopilot add-on that was previously only sold as a one-time upgrade for $10,000 USD — reports Tesla North.
Full Self-Driving costs a whopping $10,600 in Canada.
“Autopilot is an advanced driver assistance system that assists your car with steering, accelerating and braking for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane. They assist with the most burdensome parts of driving and work alongside features like emergency braking, collision warning and blind-spot monitoring,” explained Tesla.
“With Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability, you will get access to a suite of more advanced driver assistance features, designed to provide more active guidance and assisted driving under your active supervision,” adds the company.
Monthly subscriptions to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite of features were confirmed by CEO Elon Musk over a year ago. Late last year, Musk said that FSD subscriptions would be launched in early 2021 — obviously, FSD subscriptions are yet another product that follows ‘Elon time’.
The new FSD subscriptions cost $199 USD/month (plus taxes) if you only have the Basic Autopilot that all Tesla vehicles are delivered with, and $99 USD/month (plus taxes) if you previously purchased the Enhanced Autopilot package that Tesla has offered on and off for around $5,000 USD.
Image: Tesla
The FSD package includes the following features:
Like the one-time upgrade, Full Self-Driving subscriptions require a Tesla with FSD computer 3.0 (a $1,500 USD upgrade) or above.
Tesla owners can subscribe to FSD directly from their Tesla account, or through the Tesla mobile app. Subscriptions are non-refundable, and you will still get a full month of FSD if you decide to cancel your subscription sometime in the middle.
A subscription is perfect for Tesla owners who want to experience the comfort of Autopilot Navigation, Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, Auto Lane Change, and more on a road trip or long journey.
Subscriptions also solve the problem of the FSD upgrade being tied to the customer’s vehicle instead of their Tesla account, and therefore non-transferable in the event that they change vehicles.
FSD subscriptions are currently only available in the US. “FSD capability subscriptions are currently available to eligible vehicles in the United States. Check your Tesla app for updates on availability in other regions,” reads Tesla’s FSD subscriptions page.
Considering the fact that Canada hasn’t even received the FSD beta yet for testers, Tesla owners north of the border will need to keep waiting like the rest of the world.
Many have noted one would be better off investing $10,600 CAD into Tesla stock instead of betting on FSD, but that discussion is for another day.
