Tesla to drop purchase option for FSD, only offering subscription

Tesla’s system, officially named ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’, assists drivers in tasks such as accelerating, braking, and maintaining lane discipline on motorways. It can also execute lane changes and recognise and respond to traffic signs on urban roads. Despite its name, ‘Full Self-Driving’ requires the driver to remain fully attentive and ready to intervene at all times. The solution is currently available outside the USA in Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, and New Zealand.

Tesla has not provided a detailed explanation for its decision to shift this system to a subscription-only model. Elon Musk announced the change on social media with characteristic brevity: “Tesla will stop selling FSD after Feb 14. FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription thereafter.”

Meanwhile, Tesla continues to pursue approval for its FSD driver-assistance system in Europe. In late November, the company announced its aim to be ready by 2026. Interested parties can already experience the system firsthand through demo drives. In Germany, Tesla offers test drives in regular traffic from its stores in Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Giessen, Hanover, Berlin, and Stuttgart, but only as a passenger, with Tesla staff at the wheel.

In November, new details emerged regarding the approval process. On X, Tesla announced that the Dutch authority RDW had committed to granting approval for FSD functions in the Netherlands by February 2026. In response, the authority confirmed that it had agreed with Tesla on this timeline. By February 2026, Tesla must demonstrate that “FSD Supervised meets the requirements”. If it fails to do so, approval will not be granted.

Here is a brief overview of the procedure: If a company wishes to introduce a new technology in Europe for which no legislation currently exists, it can apply for an exemption from market approval. To do so, an EU member state must submit an application to the European Commission on behalf of the manufacturer. An EU committee then decides on the application. If a majority is achieved, the manufacturer receives the exemption for all member states. If no majority is achieved, the exemption remains valid only in the member state that submitted the application. However, before the application can be made, the manufacturer must prove that the system complies with regulations. Even if Tesla provides this evidence, it does not guarantee automatic approval for the FSD Supervised system.

Tesla consistently emphasises its vision-only approach, which avoids “expensive sensors or HD maps.” “Cameras don’t blink, feel tired or get distracted. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) helps you drive better by taking care of the most common and error-prone driving tasks. Tesla vehicles are equipped with exterior cameras that enable 360-degree visibility, plus safety features powered by the same technology as our FSD software to help reduce the severity of accidents or prevent them altogether,” the company states on its website regarding the technology.

reuters.com, x.com