Want to chill while driving your Tesla? Well, that’s cool, but it will cost you, as the company just raised the price of its Full-Self-Driving package to $15,000.
Tesla is back again with not-so-good news, but you are probably used to it. Most recently, a false marketing controversy wherein Califonia’s DMV accused Tesla of using misleading or untrue statements regarding its Autopilot and FSD tech. Now, the FSD (Full-Self-Driving) package associated with advanced autonomous driving capabilities sees a price increase.
Notably, the FSD package, which started at $5000, now costs $15,000, a $3000 increase from the latest price. However, according to Musk, the current $12,000 price tag remains valid for orders made before September 5, even if delivered later. Although details around the monthly $199 subscription remain undisclosed, a future increase is almost inevitable.
In his tweet, Musk also mentions a “wide” release of FSD Beta 10.69.2, possibly hinting at a widespread release of the level 2+ autonomous driving system. Currently, only 100,000 have access to the software through the FSD beta test program. However, to keep using the software, drivers must maintain a 98-100 (out of 100) Safety Score over a seven-day monitoring period. Failing under the score might strip you of the program without a refund. Nonetheless, maintaining scores for Beta software to assess bugs and glitches sounds more like a video game than real-life driving.
In another case, Tesla has managed to keep its rights to use terms such as “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) in Germany after a lengthy trial. The Higher Court in Munich allowed Tesla to continue using the brands, but the automaker must better inform and promote safe practices among its users. Meanwhile, the California DMV awaits an official reply from Tesla until September 19. If the EV giant fails to do so, it might temporarily lose its manufacturer license in California.
Unsurprisingly, the recent controversies have resulted in a 16% drop in stock this year and a fall of 2.5% to $867.58 in share prices just this Month.
While Tesla may be the best-selling luxury automaker in the US, a negative brand image might hamper its chances in the future. Hence, it would be better if it stays out of controversies for a while, as it’s already walking on thin ice.
