Tesla Offers Free FSD Trial to Boost Subscriptions Amid Safety Scrutiny
Tesla is offering a free one-month trial of its Full Self Driving (FSD) feature to all U.S. customers, aiming to boost subscriptions and revenue. This move comes amidst ongoing scrutiny from regulators about the safety of its autonomous driving systems.
Both FSD and its predecessor, Enhanced Autopilot, are Level-2 systems, requiring driver supervision. Despite this, Tesla's Autopilot has been linked to over 700 crashes and at least 19 deaths since 2019. In February 2023, Tesla recalled 362,000 vehicles to update its FSD Beta software following an NHTSA investigation.
Elon Musk announced the FSD trial on X (formerly Twitter), encouraging Tesla employees to provide demos to new buyers and owners. The NHTSA is currently focused on Tesla, investigating incidents involving Model Y vehicles and the safety of electronic door handles. Tesla offers FSD and Enhanced Autopilot as optional upgrades or subscriptions, priced at $6,000/$12,000 or $99/$199 per month respectively. The company hopes to generate annual revenue of $10 billion to $75 billion from FSD subscriptions by 2030.
Tesla's free FSD trial aims to attract more subscribers and improve operating margins. However, the company continues to face safety concerns and regulatory scrutiny regarding its autonomous driving systems.
Read also:
- Germany's Social Workers in High Demand Despite Salary Disparities
- Minimal Essential Synthetic Intelligences Enterprise: Essential Minimum Agents
- Tesla is reportedly staying away from the solid-state battery trend, as suggested by indications from CATL and Panasonic.
- UK automaker, Jaguar Land Rover, to commit £500 million for electric vehicle manufacturing in Merseyside
