Tesla Shifts Core Autopilot Feature to Subscription Model Amid Robotaxi Milestones

Tesla US88160R1014

Tesla has initiated a fundamental change to its driver-assistance strategy, placing a core feature of its once-standard Autopilot package behind a monthly paywall. Effective last Saturday, new customers purchasing Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in North America will no longer receive the lane-centering “Autosteer” function at no extra cost. Access now requires a subscription to the Full Self-Driving (FSD) package, priced at $99 per month. This strategic pivot coincides with CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that the first driverless robotaxis are already operating on the streets of Austin, Texas—a timing that market observers see as more than mere coincidence.