04:57 15-01-2026

Tesla ends one-time FSD purchases, moves to monthly subscription

Tesla has announced a rethink of how it will distribute Full Self-Driving. Elon Musk said that, starting February 14, the software will be available exclusively through a monthly subscription.

From purchase to subscription

Until now, Tesla owners in the US could either make a one-time payment of $8,000 for FSD or pay $99 a month. The new model removes the option to buy it outright and turns the system into a subscription-only service.

Where FSD stands today

FSD remains a driver-assistance system and requires constant human oversight. Tesla underscores this with the 'FSD Supervised' label. Against the backdrop of an investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that encompasses nearly 2.9 million vehicles, the company has put stronger emphasis on driver responsibility and clearer boundaries for how the system operates.

What it means for owners

Shifting to a subscription deepens users’ reliance on Tesla’s ecosystem and makes the company’s revenue stream more predictable. At the same time, it lowers the entry hurdle for new customers while raising the long-term cost of ownership for those who had counted on a one-time purchase. The trade-off is familiar: lower upfront spend and more flexibility in exchange for an open-ended bill — a sensible fit for tech that still needs a vigilant driver, but not the outcome everyone hoped for.