The various autopilot options available with a new Tesla purchase are all very expensive. Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) mode will drive the car down some streets and on the highway, with the driver still at the wheel, of course, at a hefty price of $10,000. According to CEO Elon Musk, Tesla will add a subscription option to all vehicles in early 2021, allowing customers to use Autopilot at a more affordable monthly price.
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The subscription service will come to all vehicles in a software update, with the option the able to be accessed month-on-month. It is currently being tested in beta with a select group of Tesla customers.
The rollout of the subscription service was originally slated for 2020, although it has been delayed in order to test properly.
According to reports, it is expected that the subscription will cost at least $100 per month. Of the FSD mode, Musk said:
“I should say, it will still make sense to buy FSD as an option as in our view, buying FSD is an investment in the future. And we are confident that it is an investment that will pay off to the consumer – to the benefit of the consumer. In my opinion, buying FSD option is something people will not regret doing.”
Tesla CFO Zachary Kirkhorn added:
“Agree. And financially, rolling the upfront purchase of the FSD option into a loan in the vehicle or a lease will be the least expensive plan on a monthly basis to own, plus you preserve the option value of increased value over time. We do understand that some customers who have ownership or have leased their vehicles did not purchase that option front. And so this will enable those customers to spread out the cost of ownership of FSD or subscription over time.”
