Tesla has made a strategic shift by discontinuing its Autopilot driver assist feature in new vehicles, pivoting towards a subscription-based model for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. Initially offered as a standard feature, Basic Autopilot has been removed from new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in North America. Customers now have to subscribe to FSD at $99 per month to access the lane-keeping Autosteer feature, which was previously included.
While Traffic-Aware Cruise Control remains a standard feature, providing speed limit adherence and distance maintenance, Autosteer functionality now requires an FSD subscription. This change follows Tesla’s recent decision to transition from selling FSD as an optional package to offering it solely through monthly or annual subscriptions.
Amidst this shift, Tesla faces a temporary suspension in California due to allegations of overstating Autopilot’s capabilities. A judge found the company guilty of deceptive marketing practices and granted a 60-day period for compliance, including dropping the Autopilot branding.
This alteration marks a shift from Tesla’s earlier strategy of bundling basic Autopilot with vehicle purchases and offering FSD as an upgrade, coinciding with the company’s projections on its self-driving advancements.
Source: The Verge