Let's Not Make Paying for Software Features a Precedent As Tesla Sets the Standard for the Future

[CuriousG]

This will probably happen with stuff like Autopilot, Now it costs $2500. It might be cheaper on the Model 3. Years from now, it could be as low as $500.

The $2500 option is available upon order. If you decide later on that you want Autopilot, it cost $3000 to flip the switch.

Now this comes back to all the unrealistic expectations of what a $35,000 base car should include. Supercharger access, self-presenting handles, Autopilot. Now it's said it won't include an instrument cluster, won't be long before people demand HUD too. I don't know if it will have limited 4G access but I can see people demanding lifetime access to that too. Sure Tesla has changed expectations of a traditional carmaker, but let's not get carried away.

 

[mblakele]

IANAL but I wonder if there could be a liability basis for charging for the autosteer and other convenience features? These features can get a careless driver in trouble, and that driver might then sue Tesla. Could a separate charge for some autopilot features help fight that? Not all by itself, but in combination with the opt-in settings screens and the warnings in the documentation. Together all these measures might help build up a reasonable belief that drivers should know that they are still responsible when using these features.

Anyone knowledgable about this area of the law care to weigh in?

 

[ankitmishra]

Tesla offers regular updates to its cars making the features better with time. You won't get an update for something you didn't buy.
Ludicrous mode is also a software update. The hardware is there on P90D cars improving the drive train. But, you won't get the improved acceleration if you don't pay for it.
Tesla's autopilot can't be compared to iOS or Android. It's a standalone poster boy feature. It's not a UI update or icon shape changes that we see on smartphone.
It took unprecedented effort to make it and people who want it need topay for it. Tesla is a business, not a non profit or a charity. It needs to earn money otherwise it won't be able to develop more features.
Model 3 is already an extraordinary car for that price point. I believe it won't see a demand problem anytime soon. Also, Tesla is a premium car maker. It attracts customers by its unique innovations and quality. It doesn't deal in offering discounts, price cuts etc to fight a low margin customer war.

 

[TexasEV]

Including the hardware in all cars and requiring an optional purchase to use it maintains the resale value of the car. The next owner may want autopilot even if the original owner didn't. Or the original owner may change his mind and decide later he really wants autopilot and thinks it's worth paying for. This is what Tesla did with supercharging with 60s.