Autopilot now $3k. Why?

[number12]

My order clock ran out 57 mins ago and clearly I'm in the 2500 ap. But I would love to pay $500 more if it meant 2.0 hardware. Can not get a straight answer... Could it be I missed it by "catching" the lower price? Or would I just get lucky and today on gets it.

800 number said normal increase, but one can hope. They also told me if it was hardware I would be out of luck

 

[RamgeRover]

As discovered by @Stasla , enabling Autopilot on the Model S configuration page is now $3,000 ($3,500 after delivery).

This appears to have changed after the announcement today.

Interestingly, if I edit my pending order (going to production on 8/27), the Autopilot option is still only $2,500.

I'm going to press my sales advisor for an answer on this. I'm concerned that the waived destination fee and 2 year lease were a way to clear out old AP 1.0 hardware.

Perhaps the extra $500 is to cover the cost of switching from Gouged-out-eye (sorry, Mobileye) to its replacement.

 

[Canuck]

800 number said normal increase, but one can hope. They also told me if it was hardware I would be out of luck

I don't get it. How can they tell you it's a normal increase but at the same time say if it was hardware you are out of luck? If it's a normal increase it's not hardware. They can't have it both ways.

 

[Model S M.D.]

My order clock ran out 57 mins ago and clearly I'm in the 2500 ap. But I would love to pay $500 more if it meant 2.0 hardware. Can not get a straight answer... Could it be I missed it by "catching" the lower price? Or would I just get lucky and today on gets it.

800 number said normal increase, but one can hope. They also told me if it was hardware I would be out of luck

My order clock just ran out too. I was told the extra $500 isn't hardware related, just an increase for new orders due to the upcoming 8.0 release. Since we were in limbo, we could get the old pricing and save $500. For me, I wanted the new premium seats too, so I opted for the new pricing to get them.

 

[MP3Mike]

My guess is the real reason is not this, but supply and demand (from my non-scientific review of used Tesla pricing, AP goes for much more than $3K on used Teslas).

Really? Supply on AP is unlimited, it is just a software switch that Tesla flips, they can't run out of it. As far as needing the data from people driving without AP enabled, yeah they are collecting that even if you haven't paid for AP. I don't think it matters if you are driving with AP on or not, the data they are collecting is what AP would have done compared against what you do. (AP is driving virtually 100% of the time and that is compared with how the driver is driving without AP, or what corrections the driver makes when using AP.)

 

[SteveW25561]

I think it's also interesting that Tesla is showing that it's definitely not backing down on the value of Autopilot despite the recent spate of bad news.

Imagine if they cut the price: I can see headlines reading "Tesla slashes Autopilot pricing in the wake of Autopilot crashes and mounting pressures from the competition."

In the end I'll wager (and it appears Tesla is also wagering) the $500 increase against the total price of the car is not such a deterrent in this market segment.

 

[davidc18]

The did because they can. Future owners are lucky it was not a bigger increase.

 

[rscott0]

Really? Supply on AP is unlimited, it is just a software switch that Tesla flips, they can't run out of it. As far as needing the data from people driving without AP enabled, yeah they are collecting that even if you haven't paid for AP. I don't think it matters if you are driving with AP on or not, the data they are collecting is what AP would have done compared against what you do. (AP is driving virtually 100% of the time and that is compared with how the driver is driving without AP, or what corrections the driver makes when using AP.)

If you take a look at the used Model S market, there seems to be a big price difference between those with AP and those without. Occasionally there are cars that *appear* to have the AP hardware (which would just be a $3K, oops, $3.5K upgrade to flip the switch). But you're running a pretty big risk there if AP is a "must have" (you can't return a used car because you cannot get an upgrade you want).

Right now, for CPOs, you're looking at $7,000 extra for AP (lowest priced Model S with versus without). If you want a CPO Model S, it's not hard to find one for under $45K (over 100 have been sold for under $50K per ev-cpo.com). Compare that with only 2 with AP that have gone under $60K (the cheapest was $56,500) since ev-cpo has been tracking them. So you're talking somewhere in the order of $10K extra to get AP. Yes, part of that is because cars with AP are newer, but factoring in age I still see a very hefty premium for AP.

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

Perhaps it's also positioning in advance of the next announcement.

For example, it's an easier leap from $3K for AP1.0 to $5K for AP2.0. Just saying, although I doubt we'll see AP2.0 (hardware - more cameras, more sensors) for another year or so.

What we will see is firmware v8.0, and that should be fun.

The wildcard seems to be AP1.5, whatever that might be.

Tangentially, am a big fan of placing an order immediately after a big announcement. Seems to reduce the chance of getting caught by surprise, as it were.

In my case, I had a configuration all set and had decided to execute the BUY when the 100d announcement hit. My AP price on the saved configuration jumped $500. I am wondering if I argue that I should be allowed to keep the first price, that would mean I keep the first hardware. Am I getting anything for the extra $500? If it does qualify me for better long term AP functions, I'm good. If it is simple a price gouge- ouch...but this is a feature I'll buy to make the whole package worth keeping for years. [I executed the buy-Oct delivery quoted, still in 7 day confirm window]

 

[bob_p]

We could see another price increase for AP 2.0. In addition to new sensors being added, Tesla will also likely add more processing power. I believe the current AP uses the same onboard processor as the non-AP cars, which won't be enough in the long run.

 

[AvengerBB]

No way what you pay for autopilot is linked to what hardware you get. Think about it logically - people that placed an order last week for delivery later this year or even early next year paid $2,500, and people placing an order today for delivery ASAP are paying $3,000. Tesla will begin putting in new hardware for Autopilot in all cars when they are ready and without notice, and irregardless of what you paid. Autopilot is one of the most amazing values as an option and they saw it fit to increase the price some.

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

No way what you pay for autopilot is linked to what hardware you get. Think about it logically - people that placed an order last week for delivery later this year or even early next year paid $2,500, and people placing an order today for delivery ASAP are paying $3,000. Tesla will begin putting in new hardware for Autopilot in all cars when they are ready and without notice, and irregardless of what you paid. Autopilot is one of the most amazing values as an option and they saw it fit to increase the price some.

You may be right. I don't like your position. It does not make me happy. But I find no fault in your logic. I want all the future hardware NOW at the lowest price possible and to have it forever upgradeable. And because it is MY want, it must be correct!! Then comes that damn reality thing. I want to argue against your position....but...

 

[ohmman]

Supply on AP is unlimited, it is just a software switch that Tesla flips, they can't run out of it.

While I get what you're saying, there is a supply constraint in the equation, which is the number of Tesla vehicles built. Tesla can't turn the switch on for anyone. So there is a supply and demand equation - it's not a divide by zero (or infinity, as it were) error.

 

[fallen888]

I didn't get AP when placed my order. My DS told me today that I'd get charged the full $3,500 to activate AP even though I haven't actually taken delivery yet.

Got it all squared away! My DS misunderstood what I was asking for. I'll be getting AP activated for $3,000 when I take delivery.

 

[Sir Guacamolaf]

Got it all squared away! My DS misunderstood what I was asking for. I'll be getting AP activated for $3,000 when I take delivery.

It's actually not so bad. If you had paid 2500, it would be 2500 plus sales tax. Now it's a 3000 credit card swipe. So in reality it's slightly cheaper than 500.

 

[jvonbokel]

I doubt we'll see AP2.0 (hardware - more cameras, more sensors) for another year or so.

The wildcard seems to be AP1.5, whatever that might be.

I'm assuming AP2.0 (hardware) will be available by the time Model 3 launches, which makes me think it should be available on the S/X sometime before that. That would imply less than a year away, so I'm thinking late 2016 or early 2017.

I'm not sure what you mean by AP1.5 though... Maybe 1.0 hardware with more advanced software (coarse point clouds based on time-differentiated radar)?

 

[Lump]

Tesla's Autopilot just got a lot more expensive without getting any better
This is specious reasoning at best. Likely, it's just another way to pull in a few more bucks leading up to the launch of Model 3 production next year. Really, though, with prices of the new Model S P100D starting at $134,500, it's probable that buyers won't know about or flinch at the additional Autopilot cost.

 

[Canuck]

Tesla's Autopilot just got a lot more expensive without getting any better

The second sentence of this article reads:

"When Tesla originally released Autopilot last October, it was apart of a $2,500 package."

This a "journalist" who doesn't even know what the word "apart" means. It's amazing how today anyone can write an article and call themselves a journalist. Then he goes for the big word "specious" and it made my eyes roll. And that's just the language issue. His point that:

with prices of the new Model S P100D starting at $134,500, it's probable that buyers won't know about or flinch at the additional Autopilot cost.

This makes no sense at all. The additional AP cost applies to a base model 60 as well -- but I guess he didn't take the time to do a little bit of research. Even so, his point is? Oh, I get it, we bought a Tesla so $500 means nothing to us, right "journalist" Nick Jaynes? We probably don't even know about it. That's a really nice point you made there. Completely false, but nice anyway.

Seriously, Nick, it's time to think of another occupation.

 

[TaoJones]

I'm assuming AP2.0 (hardware) will be available by the time Model 3 launches, which makes me think it should be available on the S/X sometime before that. That would imply less than a year away, so I'm thinking late 2016 or early 2017.

I'm not sure what you mean by AP1.5 though... Maybe 1.0 hardware with more advanced software (coarse point clouds based on time-differentiated radar)?

AP1.5 could be a replacement camera, hopefully retrofittable. With the Mobileye exit, all bets are off, though.

Software separate - the software we pretty much expect in the next month or two.

In the end, it looks like software this year and hardware next year. Would be surprised if there's more than a 3 month gap between when the S/X get AP2.0 and the Model 3 starts shipping to employees.

So mid to late 2017 for AP2.0 is my $0.02. Again, now that the effort is more in-house, who knows...

 

[Canuck]

AP1.5 could be a replacement camera, hopefully retrofittable.

My 2 cents (or a nickle since we did away with pennies up here): No chance on the retrofit part. I don't know where you're located but have you tried to get a service appt lately? There's just no way service centers could handle retrofits when they can barely keep up with maintenance and repair appointments.