Drivers in Fountain Valley, CA were seen charging their Teslas on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in a photo by Jeff Gritchen of Medianews Group. Tesla announced a cut in the subscription price of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) package in the U.S., lowering it from $199 to $99 per month. This move goes against previous statements by CEO Elon Musk, who had indicated that the price of FSD would increase as the system gained more features and functionality. Despite its name, Tesla’s FSD option does not make their vehicles autonomous or functional as robotaxis.
Musk has been promising shareholders and customers a robotaxi for years, claiming that existing vehicles would soon become self-driving through over-the-air software updates. While Tesla’s FSD can navigate and maneuver in certain situations, it still requires an attentive driver and caution. The company uses sensors and cameras to monitor driver attentiveness.
In contrast, Alphabet-owned Waymo has launched commercial robotaxi services in several U.S. cities and partnered with Uber Eats for driverless food delivery. Other companies such as Didi, Wayve, and Amazon’s Zoox are also testing robotaxis.
Musk mandated that all sales and service staff install and demo FSD for customers before delivery in a recent push for end-of-quarter sales. Tesla even offered a free one-month trial of FSD to North American customers. Reactions to the latest version of FSD have varied, with some impressed fans and safety-conscious drivers opting out due to concerns over inconsistencies and safety.
Tesla is set to unveil a new dedicated robotaxi on August 8, although Tesla unveilings do not necessarily indicate production or delivery dates. It remains unclear whether the price cut for the FSD package is permanent or temporary.
Tesla announced on Friday that it is cutting the subscription price of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) package in the U.S. from $199 to $99 per month, despite previous promises from CEO Elon Musk that the cost would increase as the system improved. The FSD package does not currently make Tesla vehicles autonomous, despite Musk’s promises of a robotaxi service. In response to criticism from the California DMV over deceptive marketing practices, Tesla has made changes to alert drivers to remain attentive while using FSD. Meanwhile, competitors like Waymo and Didi are already operating commercial robotaxi services. Musk has mandated that all sales and service staff demonstrate FSD for customers, and is offering a one-month free trial to all North American customers. Owners’ reactions to the latest version of FSD have been mixed, with some impressed and others viewing it as inconsistent and unsafe. Musk has promised to unveil a new dedicated robotaxi on Aug. 8, but it is unclear when production and deliveries will begin. Tesla did not respond to inquiries about whether the price cut is permanent or temporary.
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