Ever wondered what it’s like to have your car nearly drive itself? Tesla’s rolling out a free month of Full Self-Driving to show you just that.
Tesla is rolling out a bold move to get more of its drivers hooked on its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. All Tesla vehicles in the U.S. built for FSD are getting a free month-long trial of the software. Elon Musk, the brand’s CEO, took to social media to share the news, promising the trial would start this week for compatible vehicles.
The FSD feature, despite its name, isn’t fully autonomous yet. It’s a high-level driver assistance system that still requires the driver to be attentive and ready to take control. Normally, FSD is a pricey add-on, costing owners $12,000 upfront or a $199 monthly subscription. But Tesla’s hoping that by giving drivers a free taste of FSD, they’ll be convinced of its value and sign up for more.
Behind this generous offer is a recent software upgrade to FSD, dubbed version 12.3.1, which Musk described as “mind-blowing.” The new version aims to make smarter driving decisions by learning from Tesla’s vast data bank of driving scenarios, a step up from the previous programming method.
All US cars that are capable of FSD will be enabled for a one month trial this week
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2024
Yet, the uptake of FSD among Tesla owners has been less enthusiastic than anticipated. Reports indicate a significant drop in FSD subscriptions, with only 14% of Tesla buyers opting for the feature recently, down from 53% in 2019. This trend comes amid Tesla’s broader challenges, including a fierce price war in the EV market pressuring the company to slash prices on its cars and, consequently, slim down its profit margins.
To combat this and potentially boost FSD subscriptions, Tesla is not just relying on the free trial. The manufacturer has instructed its employees to install FSD on every vehicle going forward and demonstrate the software to every new Tesla owner in North America. This hands-on experience, according to a leaked email from Musk to Tesla staff, is now a “hard requirement” aimed at showcasing how well FSD performs.
The focus on FSD comes as Tesla continues to navigate the complex transition to EVs and autonomous driving technology. Musk has been vocal about the challenges of producing electric cars and the high costs associated with developing autonomous driving features. He’s also underscored the importance of FSD as a potential revenue booster for Tesla, a sentiment echoed by analysts who see the $12,000 software package as a significant contributor to Tesla’s bottom line.
As Tesla’s one-month free FSD trial gets underway, it’s clear the automaker is betting big on its advanced driver-assist system to win over skeptics and solidify its place in the competitive EV market. Whether this gambit pays off in higher FSD subscriptions remains to be seen, but Tesla is certainly not holding back in its efforts to promote the technology.
