Big Tesla Autopilot price hike coming
Full Self-Driving Package rockets to $US15,000 from next month, hinting at similar rise for AustraliaTesla has announced the cost of its latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous system will rocket from $US12,000 ($A17,500) to $US15,000 ($A22,000) in the North American market from September 5.
Confirmed via a Tweet from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, customers ordering before September 5 will pay the current price for the advanced driver assist package.
In Australia, the FSD pack currently costs $10,100 on the Tesla Model 3 and the new Tesla Model Y, and while it’s still to be confirmed whether the 25 per cent price hike will also be applied here, both EVs are expected to take a hit.
After wide release of FSD Beta 10.69.2, price of FSD will rise to $15k in North America on September 5th.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 21, 2022
Current price will be honored for orders made before Sept 5th, but delivered later.
No explicit reasons have been given by Tesla for the price bump, but the increase coincides with the introduction of FSD beta 10.69 that is claimed to ramp up the sophistication of the US electric car-maker’s often controversial adaptive cruise control system.
On August 20, 1000 Tesla owners were granted access to a beta test version of the latest FSD. This will expand to a further 10,000 owners before the 10.69.2 version of the software will be offered to another 100,000 owners signed up to beta-trial the new FSD.
On the eve of its launch, FSD and the lesser Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot systems that also offer semi-autonomous driving have been subject to widespread criticism from safety experts and US authorities over Tesla’s claim that they can safely replace a human driver.
As reported, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating fatal crashes involving Tesla vehicles while operating with Autopilot engaged that involve parked emergency vehicles and, most recently, motorcycles.
The Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model X and Model S are all subject to the crash probe.
Veteran automotive safety campaigner Ralph Nader, meanwhile, has declared the new FSD as “one of the most dangerous and irresponsible actions by a car company in decades” and is calling on government intervention to ban the use of FSD on US roads.
Related: Tesla Model Y 2022 Long-Term Review
Related: Fatal motorcycle crashes involving Tesla investigated
Related: Musk says Tesla high pricing 'embarrassing'
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