FSD going subscription only (one-time purchase no longer available after Feb 14)

[turns2stone]

Also, Tesla’s equipped with FSD see virtually zero added resale value when sold or traded in.

True today, but fast forward one year (or whatever) when there's only a subscription option and UFSD is more likely.

Sponsored

 

[Cayden Thompson]

Kind of glad we bought our Model Y used from Tesla with FSD included back in 2023. Back when they sold some used vehicles with FSD. If was effectively $3000. We use it 98% of our driving. And we put on 15-20k miles a year.

Just waiting for the AI4 upgrade...
But I have a hunch AI4 isn't going to cut it either...

 

[cyberjeff25]

Every software company is or has moved to subscription model- this way they get a continual stream of cash payments and don’t have to charge for upgrades - so you pay $8000 one time fee and then get decades of software updates for free? Not a great deal for Reska thst has to pay their engineers every month for possibly decades?

Microsoft office, Quickbooks, other car company road navigation updates - and most other software companies prefer the constant cash income and the ability to increase the monthly fees with inflation.

My other sees - corvette, porsche, Mercedes all charge yearly for subscriptions to their updates -

Remember when Microsoft would charge for each update or the same with Quickbooks- but eventually they got smart and just charged a monthly or yearly fees for updates to the car’s software systems.

Would not surprise me if Tesla moved toward a monthly subscription to the entire vehicle including FSD capability.

To do a subscription the company has to have the cash to finance the cost to build each car -but not impossible Tesla could have that cash.

Tesla rents you a car / kind of like a lease- for a fully loaded car. Maybe with three months payment up front that includes all maintenance and FSD and software Update even tires- perhaps just rent it by a cost per mile with a minimum of miles driven each year or quarter. Tesla might rent that vehicle for nearly a lifetime.

Tesla might get a cash flow on a vehicle for several decades.

I get life time connectivity as well as lifetime updates for my cyberbeast foundation model including FSD? How is Tesla paying for my car to connect to the internet for decades and to send me updates for decades and never gets another dime from me?

 

[REM]

This makes me want to never buy another Tesla

Subscriptions are evil

Pass

WTF are you talking about? FSD development costs a tremendous amount of money.

And the costs are ongoing.

 

[CTOWannabe]

WTF are you talking about? FSD development costs a tremendous amount of money.

And the costs are ongoing.

 

[MSL2]

I get life time connectivity as well as lifetime updates for my cyberbeast foundation model including FSD? How is Tesla paying for my car to connect to the internet for decades and to send me updates for decades and never gets another dime from me?

I would think since you paid $20k extra upfront that would cover it.

 

[CTOWannabe]

I would think since you paid $20k extra upfront that would cover it.

The real problem is all apologists making all apologies for the “you’ll own nothing and be happy” philosophy for the unwashed masses. Yet the billionaire class continues to “own everything” and seem a good bit happier and that philosophy seems very successful for them. But “it’s completely different when they do it”.

Yea funny, I own my music, I don’t rent it. And I own my copy of ms office 2024. And I will not support companies that offer subscription only options.

But for those that love “owning nothing and are happy about it”, that’s great. You do you.

 

[MSL2]

The real problem is all apologists making all apologies for the “you’ll own nothing and be happy” philosophy for the unwashed masses. Yet the billionaire class continues to “own everything” and seem a good bit happier and that philosophy seems very successful for them. But “it’s completely different when they do it”.

Yea funny, I own my music, I don’t rent it. And I own my copy of ms office 2024. And I will not support companies that offer subscription only options.

But for those that love “owning nothing and are happy about it”, that’s great. You do you.

Just to clarify, this latest change doesn't really change anything with me. I was surprised by it, but it doesn't really impact me. I will still support Tesla, this doesn't change that AT ALL.

I never bought FSD and only 1 month did I pay to rent it to see what it was like before I got a free trial. I got free trials several times, I'm currently in my 1-year free trial.

The way I look at it now is I have until 2/14 to decide if I want to purchase it or not. I don't see myself paying a monthly subscription at all. I just don't really do that and have no interest in it. I'm not sure if I will buy it or not because I honestly enjoy driving it, I'm not sure it's worth $8000 to me.

 

[Gigahorse]

So glad when I purchased both of my cyber beasts that I checked the box for $8000 for FSD one truck they paid cash for 129,000 the other truck I used Elon‘s money with 0% financing. I plan on keeping my trucks for 20 years. Add up to subscriptions for the next two years and I believe I’m way ahead of the game some people like the monthly payment I like no payments. !

I tend to hold and use vehicles a long time (300,000 miles +)
Hoping the trucks and batteries hold up as well as well maintained ICE vehicles and if they do the $ spent will be well worth it.
What I worry about now is if some idiot clips me and totals my CT the FSD and lifetime supercharging are going to get written off as $300 value by the insurance company.

 

[TexasRaider]

congrats, FSD CyberTrucks are unicorns now.

only subscription after:

• $99/month
• $999/year

Priceless haha

 

[LaVee_35]

My concern is that as soon as it’s subscription only, then we’re totally beholden to paying whatever that fee is. $99/month now, but $125/month by summer? I’d like to go ahead and purchase FSD outright. We don’t have a payment on the truck, so I’m game to own FSD outright too. However, will it still be updated as regularly as the subscription model?

 

[cyberjeff25]

It makes sense to charge an ongoing fee for software that keeps getting worked on and improved. It costs money to pay engineers to keep working on the software.

If software companies don’t use the subscription model on software than they have to charge a fee for each update like Microsoft did years ago/

And while I paid extra for my foundation cyberbeast - it was not just for the lifetime FSD and conectivity to the internet/ but for all sorts of other accessories and upgraded interior finish - I even got a free cybertent / and so on. Personally Tesla will regret this lifetime FSD and connectivity -

Oh yeah - so it seems surprising that guys with more money get more stuff ? So everyone should have everything they want without paying for it?

Do you work for free? This attack on so-called billionaires is kind of stupid - how many jobs do Musk create? How many great products has he created that people buy freely? He still is going to work and takes on more stress than most Americans could never deal with. Jealousy is not an economic strategy that benefits anyone. And by the way - his wealth is simply not your wealth to steal - it is his that he created by creating products that people want. No one has to buy a Tesla - we need zillion more Musks. He is John Galt and Hank Reardon all wrapped into one truly amazing individual.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

My concern is that as soon as it’s subscription only, then we’re totally beholden to paying whatever that fee is. $99/month now, but $125/month by summer? I’d like to go ahead and purchase FSD outright. We don’t have a payment on the truck, so I’m game to own FSD outright too. However, will it still be updated as regularly as the subscription model?

If Elon is correct and your car can make you money, then this is a genuine concern. The value of FSD could become whatever you would make driving Uber all day. No different than the value of rental income being a basis of a home's value.

Although we are already half a decade behind this promise, and it looks like we are at least half a decade away from driverless Teslas being out in volume if the beta testing goes well, what happens when/if they nail it?

What if Tesla doesn't want you to have a self driving car? Instead of charging you $100 a month, they can charge $20 per ride. If you take a self driving Tesla to and from work, you're already at $800 a month. A few people have talked about Tesla doing what makes the most financial sense for them, in this scenario it is not offering FSD for private use.

All hypothetical, but not impossible.

 

[CTOWannabe]

It makes sense to charge an ongoing fee for software that keeps getting worked on and improved. It costs money to pay engineers to keep working on the software.

If software companies don’t use the subscription model on software than they have to charge a fee for each update like Microsoft did years ago/

And while I paid extra for my foundation cyberbeast - it was not just for the lifetime FSD and conectivity to the internet/ but for all sorts of other accessories and upgraded interior finish - I even got a free cybertent / and so on. Personally Tesla will regret this lifetime FSD and connectivity -

Oh yeah - so it seems surprising that guys with more money get more stuff ? So everyone should have everything they want without paying for it?

Do you work for free? This attack on so-called billionaires is kind of stupid - how many jobs do Musk create? How many great products has he created that people buy freely? He still is going to work and takes on more stress than most Americans could never deal with. Jealousy is not an economic strategy that benefits anyone. And by the way - his wealth is simply not your wealth to steal - it is his that he created by creating products that people want. No one has to buy a Tesla - we need zillion more Musks. He is John Galt and Hank Reardon all wrapped into one truly amazing individual.

I paid for fsd. I get to keep it. They could stop updates. Easy. That you don’t get those basics is a you issue.

 

[Aces-Truck]

I've been following this situation closely. There's no question for me. I'll buy it before 2/14/26. Everyone's use case is different though. it matters if:
1) being adverse to monthly payments vs. pay once.
2) if you have multiple Teslas in a household, perhaps you buy it for only one vehicle. Rent FSD as needed.
3) Concerns about if HW4 is going to be adequate going forward.
4) Concerns about loss of value if car us sold or totaled in an accident.
5) Having the $8k available right now.
I found this article a fascinating read on the reasons for Tesla switching to subscription only: "https://www.teslaacessories.com/blo...-tesla’s-shift-to-fsd-subscription-only-model"

Sponsored