Tesla ends one-time Full Self-Driving purchases

Tesla removed the option to buy Full Self-Driving with a one-time fee over the weekend. Owners who once could pay a flat $8,000 for lifetime access must now subscribe to the feature at $99 per month.

Elon Musk announced the change in January and said it would take effect the following month. He has also signaled plans to raise subscription prices as the software's capabilities improve, and has described Teslas as potentially "appreciating assets" as their autonomy advances.

FSD was introduced in 2016 and has seen wide price swings, rising from about $5,000 early on to a peak near $15,000 before falling to $8,000 in 2024. Tesla first offered a subscription in 2021 for $199 per month, later lowering it to $99.

The shift away from lifetime purchases follows the company’s decision to stop including Autopilot as a free feature on new cars. Under an executive performance plan approved last year, Musk's compensation is tied in part to reaching 10 million active FSD subscriptions.

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