KATHMANDU: Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company will offer its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software only through a monthly subscription starting February 14 in U.S.
Currently, Tesla customers in the U.S. can buy FSD (Supervised) with a one-time payment of $8,000 or choose a $99-per-month subscription. After the change, the one-time purchase option will no longer be available.
FSD is a driver-assistance system. Drivers must remain attentive and be ready to take control at any time. Tesla recently added the term “Supervised” to clarify this requirement for passenger vehicles.
Last year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into about 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD. The probe followed more than 50 reports of traffic safety violations and multiple crashes.
Tesla uses an unsupervised version of the software only within factory premises, such as moving vehicles from assembly lines to delivery areas.
Tesla’s Autopilot system assists with steering, braking, and lane keeping on highways. FSD adds features such as lane changes and response to traffic signals on city roads.
Elon Musk’s announcement specifically referred to Tesla’s U.S. market, where Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is currently sold either as a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription.
There has been no official confirmation that the subscription-only model will be rolled out globally. In other markets, including Asia and Europe, FSD availability, features, and pricing already vary due to local regulations and approvals.
