FSD license should be tied to owner not vehicle

[thedm96]

I don't know how popular this opinion will be, but I believe that at the current price point of $7000 that FSD should be a license that is tied to both the car and the individual.

We all know that FSD on city streets is probably on the longer term than "right around the corner". Heck it still needs improvement for highway driving. Our cars might have used up much of their useful life by the time FSD is made useful. The other item that bothers me is that our needs for vehicles change and FSD locks us in and actually discourages people to buy another Tesla.

What if a baby arrives and now that Y looks like a better choice than the 3 in the garage? You mean wehave to fork out money for FSD again to retain it and didn't even realize much value from it the first time around?

 

[kkillebrew]

I don't know how popular this opinion will be, but I believe that at the current price point of $7000 that FSD should be a license that is tied to both the car and the individual.

We all know that FSD on city streets is probably on the longer term than "right around the corner". Our cars might have used up much of their useful life by the time it is made useful. The other item that bothers me is that our needs for vehicles change and FSD locks us in.

What if a baby arrives and now that Y looks like a better choice than the 3 in the garage? You mean wehave to fork out money for FSD again to retain it and didn't even realize much value from it the first time around?

I agree, but then how could they charge you multiple times for the same thing? Don't see it happening soon.

 

[thedm96]

So make it transferable to 1 future vehicle purchase.

 

[DrtyJrze]

So make it transferable to 1 future vehicle purchase.

That seems reasonable. I imagine the longer Tesla drags out FSD this will be a likely compromise enforced by the courts.

 

[SSonnentag]

I completely agree as well. Perhaps FSD would work best for both owners and Tesla alike if it were a subscription. Even at the rediculously-high rate of $100 per month most owners would come out ahead. I think a more reasonable $19.99 per month, once FSD actually provides some benefit to drivers, would bring in a WHOLE lot more monthly income to Tesla as opposed to the occasional lump sum they currently get.

 

[JCannonTech]

Tesla would certainly love this for their pocketbooks but it would be a terrible decision for consumers. Not everyone is going to own a Tesla vehicle for the rest of their life. What happens when your next car is a Ford Mach E or a Porsche Taycan? Not only are you out your $7,000 but now none of it factors into the resale either. Terrible idea.

 

[jjrandorin]

Im curious to hear what other car manufacturer has a feature that you are suggesting "purchase once on one vehicle, own for your lifetime"?

Usually, then someone says "well, tesla is trying to be different, this is a way to be different". They are also a for profit business. What benefit does tesla get on this? I know what benefit WE would get, but what benefit do they get?

They already do something different from most car manufacturers, which is put all this hardware in the car whether you pay for it as an option, or not. People who buy BMWs / Mercs / Porsches / Audis, and dont check the box for the package of "lane keeping assist / drivers aids" are NOT retrofitting it in... or if they are, its at a substantial cost more than adding the option in the first place.

Im sorry but I hate the viewpoint that "its software and they can just turn it on, so it cant be worth that much". There is a cost to develop, and continue to develop and maintain those features. How its delivered is irrelevant to that.

 

[SSonnentag]

Once, if, when other manufacturers start providing some FSD competition Tesla will have to reassess their FSD pricing scheme.

 

[SSonnentag]

I view FSD and AP as software services, not anything linked to the vehicle. It's like getting a Sirius/XM subscription; the subscription is easily transferable to a new radio.

 

[jjrandorin]

I view FSD and AP as software services, not anything linked to the vehicle. It's like getting a Sirius/XM subscription; the subscription is easily transferable to a new radio.

You only view it that way because tesla (somewhat stupidly in my opinion) includes the hardware for it in every vehicle, whether you purchase it or not.

 

[SSonnentag]

You only view it that way because tesla (somewhat stupidly in my opinion) includes the hardware for it in every vehicle, whether you purchase it or not.

Not so. Most cars include the hardware to receive satellite radio as well, but only a subscription activates it. Many cars have navigation included, but it only works via subscription activation.

 

[thedm96]

Tesla would certainly love this for their pocketbooks but it would be a terrible decision for consumers. Not everyone is going to own a Tesla vehicle for the rest of their life. What happens when your next car is a Ford Mach E or a Porsche Taycan? Not only are you out your $7,000 but now none of it factors into the resale either. Terrible idea.

I disagree. Tesla would retain a customer by allowing FSD to transfer to another TESLA vehicle, not the other way around.

 

[SSonnentag]

You only view it that way because tesla (somewhat stupidly in my opinion) includes the hardware for it in every vehicle, whether you purchase it or not.

Also, without all that AP hardware in every vehicle,Tesla would not be nearly as advanced as they are today. Every vehicle, AP/FSD-activated or not, is providing data back to Tesla for improvements. It would probably cost more to make the cars different anyway, so I think it makes good sense to include all of the hardware in every vehicle.

 

[Phlier]

I have yet to form a solid opinion on the subject, but I can say that I hate (to a level of "hate" that mere words could never adequately express) the monthly subscription idea. Monthly/yearly subs are the new hotness with anything software (and entertainment) related, and again, I hate it to a level of loathing beyond the capability of mere language to adequately convey.

I would much rather "buy once, cry once" than have yet another "death by monthly subscription" taken out of my account on a regular basis.

 

[thedm96]

Im curious to hear what other car manufacturer has a feature that you are suggesting "purchase once on one vehicle, own for your lifetime"?

The problem is us early adopters are crowd-funding the development. With "other manufacturers" you are buying a solid feature with a known immediate value that you can utilize over the expected lifespan of your vehicle.

 

[SSonnentag]

I have yet to form a solid opinion on the subject, but I can say that I hate (to a level of "hate" that mere words could never adequately express) the monthly subscription idea. Monthly/yearly subs are the new hotness with anything software (and entertainment) related, and again, I hate it to a level of loathing beyond the capability of mere language to adequately convey.

I would much rather "buy once, cry once" than have yet another "death by monthly subscription" taken out of my account on a regular basis.

I understand your sentiment, but it's just that, sentiment. Subscriptions almost always make good sense for most people. The current $7000 bill for FSD equates to $58.33 per month IF YOU KEEP YOUR CAR FOR 10 YEARS. That's a whole lot of money in my opinion. If a subscription comes in at $50 or less per month, nearly everyone will be better off.

 

[Phlier]

I understand your sentiment, but it's just that, sentiment. Subscriptions almost always make good sense for most people. The current $7000 bill for FSD equates to $58.33 per month IF YOU KEEP YOUR CAR FOR 10 YEARS. That's a whole lot of money in my opinion. If a subscription comes in at $50 or less per month, nearly everyone will be better off.

Your reasoning is sound. There are going to be a lot of people on both sides of the fence on this. Maybe offer both the "buy once, cry once" option and the monthly subscription. Choose which one fits you. Please as many folks as you can, and optimize the income stream in the process.

 

[thedm96]

I've actually loved my M3P and Tesla ownership so much that I seriously considered upgrading to a MS. This would make Tesla more money, but because I bought FSD I feel like I will have to own this purchase until the body panels fall off.

I guess this isn't a bad car to get locked into.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

I don't know how popular this opinion will be, but I believe that at the current price point of $7000 that FSD should be a license that is tied to both the car and the individual.

We all know that FSD on city streets is probably on the longer term than "right around the corner". Heck it still needs improvement for highway driving. Our cars might have used up much of their useful life by the time FSD is made useful. The other item that bothers me is that our needs for vehicles change and FSD locks us in and actually discourages people to buy another Tesla.

What if a baby arrives and now that Y looks like a better choice than the 3 in the garage? You mean wehave to fork out money for FSD again to retain it and didn't even realize much value from it the first time around?

Generally disagree with that.

One massive exception should be if a Tesla is scrapped (aka totaled) it should be possible to transfer the software license to a new vehicle for a reduced cost, with the cost increasing based on the age of the vehicle.
Ex: If you wreck your 5 year-old Telsa, perhaps get a 50% credit against the FSD or EAP cost on the new replacement.
... Wreck your 5 month-old Tesla, perhaps get 100% credit
... So on, and so on.

 

[SSonnentag]

Your reasoning is sound. There are going to be a lot of people on both sides of the fence on this. Maybe offer both the "buy once, cry once" option and the monthly subscription. Choose which one fits you. Please as many folks as you can, and optimize the income stream in the process.

The two options could work too. I remember back in 2009 I bought a Dodge Charger and paid $500 for lifetime Sirius/XM. That would have been a good choice had I kept the car for more than 3 years. Unfortunately, after 9 months the car was totaled while parked in my driveway. I hate drunk driving, but that's a different topic. Anyway, the lifetime subscription was tied to the specific radio ID and Sirius/XM refused to transfer it to a different radio. This experience has soured me on single "lifetime" purchases.