Tesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptions
Tesla has made a significant shift in its vehicle offerings, discontinuing the standard inclusion of its Autopilot driver-assist feature in new North American Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. This strategic move aims to drive customer adoption of its subscription-only Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which now incorporates features previously available for free. The change compels customers to subscribe to FSD to access the lane-keeping Autosteer functionality. Previously, Autosteer was a standard offering, providing essential driver assistance without additional cost. Now, access to this feature is tied to a $99 monthly subscription for FSD, a substantial change for consumers who previously benefited from it as part of their vehicle purchase. While Traffic-Aware Cruise Control remains standard, the core lane-keeping assistance is now a premium feature. This policy change impacts a broad range of Tesla customers, particularly those in North America, by altering the perceived value and cost of Tesla's advanced driver-assistance systems. The move underscores a growing trend in the automotive sector toward subscription-based access for software-driven features, potentially influencing how consumers interact with and pay for vehicle technology moving forward.
Curated and translated by Europe Digital for our multilingual European audience.
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