Enhanced Autopilot vs. FSD - Exactly the same today?

[ELRev]

For the better part of two years now, I've been 100% committed to ordering a fully-loaded Model 3, full self-driving included, as soon as possible. I still largely intend to do that but am reconsidering the investment in FSD as it currently stand.

As I understand it, ordering the full self-driving package today is essentially a 25% discounted version of a promised technology that, as of yet, is not near rollout. So, essentially, if you buy a Model 3 with enhanced autopilot, you're functionally getting the exact same car as one with the extra $3000 investment in FSD. Is that correct?

I want FSD. I intend to pay for it as soon as it's available. But I'm also young, and this will be my largest single item purchase to date, by far. I intend to add some modifications to my car and thought maybe saving the $3000 now and spending $4000 later, when I'm (theoretically) more financially prepared to handle additional costs, would be a better idea. But I want to be absolutely sure that there won't be a single even teeny tiny bit of difference between my car with enhanced AP as things currently stand. Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[SSedan]

Sounds to me like you have a good handle on things.

One other thing I would add is since you are likely financing, that would cut into the "savings" of buying FSD today vs. later.

 

[zanary]

Skip the $3K purchase for FSD now and go invest it in your mods. Come back in a year or two or three later and pay the $4K to get FSD when it comes out. Note: Even thought today FSD is $4K after the fact it may go up by the time FSD comes. You take that risk of course, but I'm sure $3K now will make you very happy once you personalize your Model 3

 

[ELRev]

Sounds to me like you have a good handle on things.

One other thing I would add is since you are likely financing, that would cut into the "savings" of buying FSD today vs. later.

Thanks for that note. Mine is a bit of a unique situation in that I've been saving with the intention of buying the car in full when I order, but as I go down the list of upgrades and after-market additions I have in mind, I'm trying to make the best overall decision for each to come out with the most fiscally responsible combination for today's uses.

FSD is one of the primary reasons I've always wanted a Tesla, but if it realistically won't do a darn thing for me in the next year or two, or more, then I'm thinking maybe I should hold onto that money and use it elsewhere for now.

Of course, there's always the risk that Tesla ups the cost of upgrading to FSD at a later date...

Skip the $3K purchase for FSD now and go invest it in your mods. Come back in a year or two or three later and pay the $4K to get FSD when it comes out. Note: Even thought today FSD is $4K after the fact it may go up by the time FSD comes. You take that risk of course, but I'm sure $3K now will make you very happy once you personalize your Model 3

What chance would you give to the cost going up in a year or two for upgrading to FSD after delivery? I'm not familiar with any price guarantee or something to that effect that Tesla might have in place to avoid a potential increase there.

 

[zanary]

What chance would you give to the cost going up in a year or two for upgrading to FSD after delivery? I'm not familiar with any price guarantee or something to that effect that Tesla might have in place to avoid a potential increase there.

(1) I've never seen any of the options increase their after the fact price, but that's no guarantee that FSD won't since it's the killer future feature of the Model S, Model X, Model 3.

(2) There's nothing like pride guarantee. You are choosing to not purchase an option at time of sale, but you are given an option to purchase the option at any point in the future for whatever the price is in the future.

Many people don't like that answer, but I think of it this way. I go into the grocery store and I see a $0.99 banana, but I don't purchase it this week. A week later I now want it, but the price went up to $1.99 now. I'm in no way entitled to the original $0.99 price, even though I saw it then.

The only interesting part to all this. The Model S originally came equipped with AP2, and they upgraded the AP2 computer to AP2.5. It is presumed (but not stated anywhere), in that if you already have FSD, and AP2.5 is needed, then since you already purchased FSD you get the upgraded to free, but otherwise they may roll into the cost of the AP2.5 into an updated and more expensive FSD pricing. This is all pure speculation in terms of the upgrade, but they did upgrade AP2 to AP2.5

For me, here is what it comes down to. Don't live in the FSD future as it's possibly 2+ years out. Live for now, and enjoy your Model 3. Personalize it, customize it, enjoy it, and drive it like Tesla intended you to drive it. Smash that accelerator at the lights, enjoy the grin on your face as you do that, and remember every moment that you get to drive your Model 3... Worry about FSD in the future, and in that future you may be financially better where even a small increase in the FSD is a drop in the bucket for you. Who known.

Life's short. Drive your Model 3 like it was designed to be driven. It's not a car. It's an experience that you'll remember for ever!

 

[Derek Kessler]

There is no price guarantee for future FSD upgrades, though historically Tesla has not increased the price of after-delivery upgrades. That doesn't mean it won't, but there's no precedent for it. Save the money now — there's no guarantee for when the first FSD features will become available (they still haven't fully met feature parity between AP1 and EAP, let alone the Enhanced features of EAP) or be worth the money.

 

[favo]

Tesla has already stated that EAP and FSD will each cost an extra $1000 if you buy at some point after delivery. Of course that price differential may go up or down at some future time.

 

[N5329K]

FSD is one of the primary reasons I've always wanted a Tesla, but if it realistically won't do a darn thing for me in the next year or two, or more...
I hang onto cars a long time. But depending on how long you intend to keep the car, there's a good (maybe very good) chance that FSD won't be usable and legal until after you've grown tired of the Model 3 and bought something later and greater.
No way would I buy it now.
Robin

 

[SSedan]

Given the cost to roll out FSD software when it is available will be low I doubt they will raise price. They will want as many folks to buy as possible to raise capital for the next R&D project.

 

[Barklikeadog]

I wouldn't pay for something you potentially won't get for years. Isn't there a class action suit by owners over something similar?
You're a young kid, be patient. fully autonomous vehicles are years away

 

[phil0909]

Given the cost to roll out FSD software when it is available will be low I doubt they will raise price. They will want as many folks to buy as possible to raise capital for the next R&D project.

I agree. Tesla is going to be happy to take your money.

 

[Bet TSLA]

I bought FSD because I want to watch Tesla's baby driving AI grow up. But it will always be available later to people for whom that isn't important.

And you should keep in mind that we don't know if they are exactly the same today, nor will be know tomorrow. Eventually we will start to see differences, but perhaps long after they appear.

 

[xav-]

Just to give my view on FSD..

This place is full of Tesla fans... suggesting that Elon Musk is not the coolest guy in the world here would be like walking in a town controlled by ISIS with flip flops, shorts and a Trump T-shirt.

Yet... if I remember the poll correctly: 87 percent of M3 buyers here are not planning to buy FSD at purchase.

I hope that will help those who are undecided.

 

[Robwoodruff]

Don't pay for FSD. I did it 2 1/2 years ago for my AP1 car and there is no way it will ever drive by itself. Tesla is not going to give me the money back just because they have decided it is not possible for the car to self drive. Last year I bought the AP2 model S and again paid for FSD. A year later and I'm pretty sure this car will also never be able to drive itself. My wife and I both love our Teslas, and I'm going to get a model 3 for my daughter and will probably get the new Roadster when it comes out, but definitely save you money and don't pre-pay for full self driving.

 

[ℬête Noire]

I'm not all the way to Robwoodruff's position of certainty that it won't happen. There's been a lot of advances over time, in spite of the setback of changing hardware strategy in the AP1 to AP2 switchover (Tesla probably lost a year there).

However IMO, going into a FSD purchase you should accept that there is a very real possibly that FSD will never make it to reliable Level 5 self-driving. It's not clear that it is possible with the hardware shipping in current M3 cars to pull it off. The lack of LIDAR means reliance on heavy visual processing of camera image data and the processing capability (as assessed by the supplier!) might not be up to the task. There is also been valid concerns about the ability to keep sensors clear enough in all weather conditions.

 

[Derek Kessler]

Don't pay for FSD. I did it 2 1/2 years ago for my AP1 car and there is no way it will ever drive by itself.

You are mistaken. FSD was never offered for AP1 vehicles, nor was there ever any promise of it being a fully self-driving vehicle. There's nothing for Tesla to refund.

 

[Moderatefan]

However IMO, going into a FSD purchase you should accept that there is a very real possibly that FSD will never make it to reliable Level 5 self-driving.

There's also a chance that you total the car in the next 2-3 years(or get it totalled for you) and get back a fraction of your $3k from insurance...

 

[Robwoodruff]

You are mistaken. FSD was never offered for AP1 vehicles, nor was there ever any promise of it being a fully self-driving vehicle. There's nothing for Tesla to refund.

You may be right. We thought AP1 would drive itself some day. I can't remember if we paid extra for it. We did pay extra for AP2 for full self driving because that video of self driving looked so convincing. I love my Teslas and love autopilot and don't mind donating the money to Tesla to encourage them to keep build great cars. For anyone that could use the $3000.00 for anything else, they should keep it.

 

[PoitNarf]

New tweet from Elon, Tesla is in the final testing phase of a release candidate for AP: Elon Musk on Twitter

No word on what improvements or new features said update may bring.

 

[PoitNarf]

And a followup tweet, but short on specifics: Elon Musk on Twitter