Tesla Basic Autopilot Suite Now a Paid Subscription Only.

I'd pay for "run-through-a-brick-wall" cruise control mode for our Tesla. I don't use autopilot (my wife does) and I hate all the safety nannies that the basic cruise control has - phantom braking, curve detections, etc etc. If I set it at 80, I want it to go 80 until I tell it not to.
 
No surprise here.

Auto manufactures have been working for years to duplicate the "software model" that has made so many tech billionaires. Before long, like software.....it might be reasonable to assume vehicles will be licensed, and not owned, by their user.

Some examples:
Onstar by GM
BMW heated seat subscription
Mercedes charging for map updates
 
I love electric vehicles and enjoyed driving a Tesla Model 3 I had as a loaner for about a month. However, I prefer to simply get in and do things myself. I don't like my vehicle to try to outsmart me.

I'll keep my 2005 CR-V going forever!
 
That's not quite what is happening here. Autosteer isn't going to be available in FSD if FSD is paid for and not set to be active. They're getting rid of Autosteer to get rid of the name Autopilot to get around the California lawsuit. It's not exactly lane keep assist. It's quite a bit more intrusive and not very good unfortunately. Tesla has never had lane keep assist. Both of my Teslas have Autosteer and they will retain it since it came with the car, but I don't use it.

I will say Tesla sucks when it comes to decontenting cars over the years. The cars that already have the features keep them, but they'll not allow it to continue on in new models. The one my 2024 has that my 2026 does not is the regen brake assist. If it's too cold or the charge level is too high to have full regenerative braking the car assists with friction brakes to simulate regen. I can shut this off on my 2024. The 2026 does not allow for this option and I hate that I cannot let the new car just coast when regen is not available. I like to maximize regen when it is limited and not waste energy using friction brakes if I don't have to.

If they went as far as getting rid of traffic aware cruise control to push FSD then I own my last Teslas ever. I will not pay for FSD as a work around for no cruise control. I'll take a Hyundai Ioniq 6N at that point.

2026-hyundai-ioniq-6-n-270-690cb869141f7.jpg
 
E365 said:
Elon Musk’s $1T compensation package requires 10M FSD subscribers, so Tesla has now deleted standard, basic, Autopilot from new Model 3/Y and they now will make you pay for the $99/month FSD subscription to even get lane-centering.

Tesla has officially removed lane-centering for Model 3 and Model Y trims in the U.S. It's a big nudge toward subscription Full Self-Driving.
Click to expand...
Over the last few years thankfully the Tesla faithful have slowed purchase of fsd and autopilot. It's now a 1 in 7 take rate, or 14.2% I forsee an even lower take rate with higher prices and the subscription only model.
 
E365 said:
Elon Musk’s $1T compensation package requires 10M FSD subscribers, so Tesla has now deleted standard, basic, Autopilot from new Model 3/Y and they now will make you pay for the $99/month FSD subscription to even get lane-centering.

Tesla has officially removed lane-centering for Model 3 and Model Y trims in the U.S. It's a big nudge toward subscription Full Self-Driving.
Click to expand...
This isnt entirely correct the way it’s worded.
Maybe better said the way I interpret it and the way I read it.
The no cost package will be simply cruise control as in following other cars.
Automatic assist or auto steer/pilot in lane centering will be gone.

This is to push people into full self driving for $99 a month instead of the $8000 cost
Elon Musk also announced Friday that this $100 a month cost will go up as capabilities improve

This says it better I think
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-fsd-subscription-price-rising-kills-autopilot-2026-1

And this
https://nypost.com/2026/01/23/business/elon-musks-tesla-pulls-plug-on-autopilot-system/
 
Last edited:
alarmguy said:
This is an entirely correct the way it’s worded.
Maybe better said the way I interpret it and the way I read it.
The no cost package will be simply cruise control as in following other cars.
Automatic assist or auto steer/pilot in lane centering will be gone.

This is to push people into full self driving for $99 a month instead of the $8000 cost
Elon Musk also announced Friday that this $100 a month cost will go up as capabilities improve

This says it better I think
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-fsd-subscription-price-rising-kills-autopilot-2026-1

And this
https://nypost.com/2026/01/23/business/elon-musks-tesla-pulls-plug-on-autopilot-system/
Click to expand...
They have to be hiding data from regulators and the public. You don't go from not close to autonomous a couple of months ago to three guys claiming "coast to coast " without a single disengagement. I don't buy it. The cybercabs have a 12.5 times higher accident rate than human drivers. Tesla claims they went from fsd/autopilot disengaging every 425 miles to 9,000 miles in a few months. That's like claiming breaking the sound barrier only a few months after the Wright brothers debuted their Wright Flyer. It just doesn't happen.
 
cptbarkey said:
The only way this makes sense is if
1) insurance rates drop to zero to compensate,
2) make it a law that only automatic driving can be the main pilot.
Click to expand...
You want A.I. robotic driving? I can't tell you when, but at some point the ultrasafe robot driving is going to get someone or a lot of someones killed and when there is ultimately no one to take the blame, ask yourself what are they then? I understand how safe they are billing them as, but it won't last. There will eventually be a ghost in the machine whether hacked or what have you and it won't be pretty.

For me the only way I am ok with this stuff is if a human needs to be present and attentive AT ALL TIMES...and held accountable for what happens with that vehicle. Otherwise they should be illegal. The way we are heading though certain people will be lobbying for these to be the only way humans can travel. No thanks.
 
97prizm said:
They have to be hiding data from regulators and the public. You don't go from not close to autonomous a couple of months ago to three guys claiming "coast to coast " without a single disengagement. I don't buy it. The cybercabs have a 12.5 times higher accident rate than human drivers. Tesla claims they went from fsd/autopilot disengaging every 425 miles to 9,000 miles in a few months. That's like claiming breaking the sound barrier only a few months after the Wright brothers debuted their Wright Flyer. It just doesn't happen.
Click to expand...
In all honesty as uncomfortable, as it might make me feel, autonomous driving seems to be safer.

Lemonade is coming out with a program that will cut Tesla self driving insurance premiums by 50%
I have no clue how it will work and maybe that cut is because you’re allowing lemonade to have your Tesla data. Too soon to say, but I don’t know. I just think people make more mistakes than computers.

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/21/l...roduct-for-tesla-full-self-driving-customers/

We have to be honest with ourselves. Self driving vehicles do not text and drive nor do they talk on the phone and drive nor do they get in arguments with other people in the car and drive nor do they watch the kids and drive nor do they reach down reaching for their cell phone that they dropped on the floor and drive etc. etc. etc.

They also don’t do drugs or drink and drive🥳
 
alarmguy said:
In all honesty as uncomfortable, as it might make me feel, autonomous driving seems to be safer.

Lemonade is coming out with a program that will cut Tesla self driving insurance premiums by 50%
I have no clue how it will work and maybe that cut is because you’re allowing lemonade to have your Tesla data. Too soon to say, but I don’t know. I just think people make more mistakes than computers.

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/21/l...roduct-for-tesla-full-self-driving-customers/

We have to be honest with ourselves. Self driving vehicles do not text and drive nor do they talk on the phone and drive nor do they get in arguments with other people in the car and drive nor do they watch the kids and drive nor do they reach down reaching for their cell phone that they dropped on the floor and drive etc. etc. etc.

They also don’t do drugs or drink and drive🥳
Click to expand...
Musk tweeted two weeks ago that it's now safe enough to text and drive. How long before that ends up a fatal accident and in court is beyond me. Texting and driving is illegal in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Tesla purposely hid autopilot crash data in August of 2025 leading to a 240 million dollar payout. Cybercabs have crashed "8" times that Tesla claims but many analysts are saying its much higher than that.
 
97prizm said:
Musk tweeted two weeks ago that it's now safe enough to text and drive. How long before that ends up a fatal accident and in court is beyond me. Texting and driving is illegal in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Tesla purposely hid autopilot crash data in August of 2025 leading to a 240 million dollar payout. Cybercabs have crashed "8" times that Tesla claims but many analysts are saying its much higher than that.
Click to expand...
I dont disagree, I suspect the insurance company knows this but still less than the general public driving. Im sure as they crash they improve the software :unsure:
The pubic does not improve, I think they get worse!
 
alarmguy said:
This isnt entirely correct the way it’s worded.
Maybe better said the way I interpret it and the way I read it.
The no cost package will be simply cruise control as in following other cars.
Automatic assist or auto steer/pilot in lane centering will be gone.

This is to push people into full self driving for $99 a month instead of the $8000 cost
Elon Musk also announced Friday that this $100 a month cost will go up as capabilities improve

This says it better I think
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-fsd-subscription-price-rising-kills-autopilot-2026-1

And this
https://nypost.com/2026/01/23/business/elon-musks-tesla-pulls-plug-on-autopilot-system/
Click to expand...
I wish I had opted for the $99 Subscription instead of the $8K purchase...
It would take 81 months to break even...
My guess is I will be driving something else by then, unless the Model 3 is still the Model 3... Ha!.
Who the heck knows? He's wack, right?
 
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