Tesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptions | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Tesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptionsComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TransportationCloseTransportationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TransportationNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechTesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptionsThe company got rid of its standard lane-keeping feature a few days after making Full Self-Driving a subscription only service.The company got rid of its standard lane-keeping feature a few days after making Full Self-Driving a subscription only service.by Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. HawkinsJan 23, 2026, 2:34 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeAndrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. Hawkins is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.Tesla scrapped its Autopilot driver assist feature that used to come standard in new vehicles, as it attempts to steer customers to its newly subscription-only Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.According to Electrek, the company removed Basic Autopilot as a standard feature from new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in North America. That means in order to get Tesla’s lane-keeping Autosteer feature, which was previously free when purchasing a new Tesla vehicle, customers will now have to fork over $99-a-month to subscribe to FSD.Tesla will still sell its vehicles with its Traffic-Aware Cruise Control feature, which sticks to a designated speed limit while maintaining a distance behind cars ahead, as standard. But if customers want Autosteer, they’ll have to subscribe to FSD. Last week, Tesla announced that it would stop selling FSD as an optional package and would instead shift to a monthly or annual subscription.And as TechCrunch notes, the move comes as Tesla faces a 30-day dealer and manufacturing suspension in California for overstating the capabilities of its driver assist system. A judge ruled in December that Tesla had engaged in deceptive marketing by misleading customers about the capabilities of Autopilot. The California DMV, which brought the complaint, stayed the ruling for 60 days to allow Tesla time to comply by dropping the Autopilot brand name.Tesla made basic Autopilot standard on all new vehicles in April 2019, bundling it with the purchase price rather than as a separate add-on — while keeping the more advanced FSD as an optional upgrade. This coincided with Tesla’s first “Autonomy Day,” during which Elon Musk began making wild claims about the company’s self-driving future.For example, he predicted that by the middle of 2020, Tesla’s autonomous system will have improved to the point where drivers will not have to pay attention to the road. (Drivers are still required to pay attention at all times while using FSD.) Musk also said the company would roll out its first robotaxis in 2020, and predicted that Tesla owners would be able to add their cars to a Tesla network. (Tesla didn’t start its robotaxi service until 2025, and even then the vehicles had safety monitors behind the wheel or in the passenger seat. Tesla has started providing trips in fully autonomous vehicles this week, but with chase cars.)Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew J. HawkinsCloseAndrew J. HawkinsTransportation editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew J. 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Tesla has implemented a strategic shift in its driver-assistance system offerings, transitioning from a standard Autopilot feature to a subscription-based model. This decision, spearheaded by Tesla, directly follows a judicial ruling that found the company had engaged in deceptive marketing regarding the capabilities of its Autopilot system. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) initiated the complaint, leading to a 30-day suspension of Tesla’s manufacturing and dealer operations due to overstated claims about Autopilot’s functionality. As part of its compliance efforts, Tesla has removed the standard Autopilot feature from new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, requiring customers to subscribe to the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system for access to the lane-keeping Autosteer feature.

This change introduces a tiered approach to Tesla’s driver-assistance technology. The company retains Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, a standard feature that maintains a set speed and distance from preceding vehicles, as the default. However, the more advanced Autosteer functionality – which allows for hands-off driving under specific conditions – now necessitates a monthly or annual subscription fee of $99. This shift represents a fundamental alteration in Tesla's business model, moving away from a bundled offering to a recurring revenue stream.

The context surrounding this decision is crucial. Prior to the legal action, Tesla, under the leadership of Elon Musk, had generated considerable excitement around its Autopilot and FSD systems. Musk repeatedly predicted technological milestones, including fully autonomous driving capabilities by mid-2020, and foreshadowed the rollout of robotaxis by 2020. These pronouncements, while generating significant consumer interest, ultimately proved overly optimistic and contributed to the legal challenges. The company’s subsequent compliance measure – dropping the term "Autopilot" – underscores the need for greater transparency and realistic expectations regarding the capabilities of its driver-assistance systems. The company’s attempts to comply were, however, still not enough to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

The transformation reflects broader trends in the automotive industry, where technological advancements are increasingly delivered through subscription models. Furthermore, it highlights the growing importance of regulatory oversight in the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies. Tesla's actions are a direct response to legal penalties and demonstrate a calculated effort to align its marketing practices with demonstrable capabilities, while simultaneously seeking to monetize its advanced driver-assistance technology. The company's past overpromising created an expectation that the company had to address.