Tesla Announces Major Price Hike for Future Self-Driving Feature
Tesla plans to raise the cost of its Full Self-Driving option by over $3,000 starting in May. The price increase precedes the company's upcoming Investor Autonomy Day and the rollout of its new Hardware 3 processing chip.
Tesla prepares to implement a substantial price increase for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) option starting May 1. CEO Elon Musk announces via Twitter that the cost of this future-focused package will rise by more than $3,000, bringing the total price of the currently non-functional feature to over $8,000. Despite the high price tag, Tesla vehicles do not currently possess true self-driving capabilities.
This pricing shift occurs alongside several other major changes for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Tesla makes its basic Autopilot system a standard feature on all vehicles, effectively saving buyers $500 compared to the previous optional cost. Additionally, the company reveals plans to begin leasing its popular Model 3 sedan and hosts an upcoming Investor Autonomy Day to showcase its autonomous technology.
The current FSD package includes advanced driver assistance tools like Navigate on Autopilot and Summon, with promises of future upgrades via over-the-air software updates. Tesla expects to soon introduce capabilities for recognizing traffic lights and navigating city streets. These upcoming software improvements rely heavily on the new custom Hardware 3 computer chip, which provides the massive processing power required for ultimate full automation.