Tesla just chopped $3,000 off the price of its “full self-driving” beta software.
The 20% cut brings the cost of FSD down to $12,000 in North America. That’s precisely what Tesla previously charged for the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) before hiking the fee to $15,000 about a year ago.
Tesla vehicles come standard with some driver-assistance features, dubbed “Autopilot.” The automaker charges $6,000 for what it calls “Enhanced Autopilot,” which introduces some extras to help with parking, as well as pulling the vehicle out of tight spots via a smartphone app.
For a lot more dough, Tesla owners can buy FSD, which includes all the “enhanced autopilot” features as well as the ability to detect and (ideally) stop at traffic lights and stop signs. While CEO Elon Musk has pledged that FSD will eventually offer full autonomous driving capabilities, Tesla vehicles are not self-driving, nor are they autonomous.
Tesla recalled its FSD software and temporarily paused new and pending installations back in February. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has since raised safety concerns about FSD, which Tesla intends to eventually license to other automakers.
Meanwhile, GM, Ford and other automakers are rolling out their own ADAS features. Such systems offer hands-free driving only on highways, while still requiring drivers to pay close attention to the road.