(Credit: Tesla)
Tesla is ending its one-time, $8,000 fee for Full Self-Driving (FSD) on Feb. 14. It's the "cheapest" way to get this hands-off driving software (for life!), so if you've been considering it, now might be the time to pull the trigger.
After Feb. 14, the one-time fee will be replaced by a $99 monthly subscription, which nets out to more money over the life of the vehicle. Let's say you keep the car for eight years, which is Tesla's battery warranty. All told, you'd pay $9,600 for FSD—or $1,600 more—over those years. The longer you keep the car, the more extra cash you fork over.
The monthly fee will increase over time, CEO Elon Musk said last month when he announced the fee change. He references a future where "you can be on your phone or sleeping for the entire ride (unsupervised FSD)." Who knows how much that would cost, and if it's worth putting your life in the software's hands. Today, anyone using FSD must remain alert and ready to intervene at any time, per Tesla's policy.
You can sign up for Tesla FSD in the Tesla app or on your vehicle's dashboard. The EV must be eligible, meaning it has all the right camera hardware and equipment. If it is, tap "upgrades," and click through the menu to find FSD, then hit subscribe. Tesla has more detailed instructions on its website. The vehicle will need to complete a software update before you can use it.
If you don't subscribe to FSD, meanwhile, you'll also lose access to some basic Autopilot features you may already be using. Tesla discontinued these less advanced self-driving features last month and no longer offers them as standard on its vehicles. The cars still have Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, which maintains the vehicle at a set speed and follows traffic at a safe distance. (This is table stakes for any new car today, especially in Tesla's class.) However, Autosteer went away, which keeps the vehicle centered in its lane and helps it navigate curves.
These moves suggest Tesla is pushing its customers toward the most advanced version of its self-driving software. It's a somewhat all-or-nothing approach that follows Musk's reorientation of the company around AI, including autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots. Last month, Tesla announced it's ending production of the Model S and Model X to repurpose the factory for its Optimus robots. Sales are heavily dominated by the more affordable Model 3 and Y, which made up about 97% of the company's 2025 deliveries. The Model S, X, and Cybertruck were at just over 3% combined.