My free trial of Autopilot ended...

[psyrob]

My two week trial ended, and much like Red missed Andy when he escaped from Shawshank, I miss my friend...

At first I wasn't that impressed with autopilot, but as the days went on and we got to know one another, a real collaborative relationship developed. I learned what I could trust autopilot with and autopilot got me to trust its judgment too. I do see this feature as a big advance, but I had to fight the urge to be disappointed in Autopilot's limitations. Within its limits, AP is great and it was like having Chewbacca at my side as co-pilot. But much like that relationship, when sh!t got real, Han Solo took over. Once I got myself out of lamenting what was missing, I really appreciated what AP can do.

However, I just don't have the 6K or 5.5 K to dump into it, or more accurately, I have other things that 6K has to go to. So maybe in the future I can make this a priority, but for now, I will wait to cross the border with Red to hopefully meet my friend again...

 

[Nocturnal]

Yup. Personally I'd probably only buy it if they reduced it to maybe 2k.

 

[Swampgator]

I really would like them to offer a pay per use type thing. Say, 50 bucks per day of use. That way those of us who do not have crappy daily commutes like west coasters do, could purchase it when when we take a road trip. Maybe a couple hundred bucks for 4 days. It's either that or folks like me will never spend 5-6k just to have a cool party trick to show friends.
Another story entirely I understand if you use this everyday. I only have a 10 mile commute with lots of country, winding roads. No way I'm not going to drive those myself! Much more fun.

 

[psyrob]

I have a 90 mile commute three days a week and a 25 mile commute the other two. I would use it every day, and I started to feel the benefit, as my driving is all on our freeways out here. BTW, freeways are considered surface streets in SoCal, every one gets on the freeway just to get their Big Mac or go to Target, making it a big PITA for us commuters. For me, I have to use the cash for other priorities, and even then, I can't get my head around 6K for the upgrade. Maybe that is what it cost them to develop it, but it is a little bit of a bridge to far for me.

 

[Swampgator]

You do have a big commute. The way I look at this: Tesla can realize zero dollars from me for outright purchase of EAP over the next 5-6 years, or they can realize 2-4 K depending on how much I would use it. If I found myself using it more than, say 3 days per month it would make sense for me to purchase it for 5500 as I would spend much more than that over 5 years. If on the other hand I only used it 10 days a year, it would take 11 years to make that purchase worth while, and I would be silly to do it, unless I just had extra money burning a hole in my pockets.

 

[brkaus]

You do have a big commute. The way I look at this: Tesla can realize zero dollars from me for outright purchase of EAP over the next 5-6 years, or they can realize 2-4 K depending on how much I would use it. If I found myself using it more than, say 3 days per month it would make sense for me to purchase it for 5500 as I would spend much more than that over 5 years. If on the other hand I only used it 10 days a year, it would take 11 years to make that purchase worth while, and I would be silly to do it, unless I just had extra money burning a hole in my pockets.

However, they will realize less from the folks that spent $5k and would instead only used it a few days a month. I really doubt too many people would spend $50/day on it. Except for that one long road trip. And then they wouldn't have the experience to utilize it as best possible.

 

[Nocturnal]

I assume Telsa is doing the math. I wonder what the adoption numbers are for EAP. The free trial suggests it might be low.

Since we all have the hardware as of right now it's just a decision about how many will pay at full price and how many would pay at a reduced price. Say 20% buy it at 5k, and another 5% at 6k after the fact. If they can get 50% of customers to buy it at $2k, they lose money. If they can get 50% to bite at $2500, then it's about a wash, but that might be preferable as it would increase odds of buying self driving.

I have a 90 mile commute three days a week and a 25 mile commute the other two. I would use it every day, and I started to feel the benefit, as my driving is all on our freeways out here. BTW, freeways are considered surface streets in SoCal, every one gets on the freeway just to get their Big Mac or go to Target, making it a big PITA for us commuters. For me, I have to use the cash for other priorities, and even then, I can't get my head around 6K for the upgrade. Maybe that is what it cost them to develop it, but it is a little bit of a bridge to far for me.

I don't love how the steering wheel touch works. The car was always bugging me, even while I had my hand on the wheel. Making me look away from the road and then think about moving the steering wheel made it less attractive.

 

[super20g]

I do enjoy autopilot more than I thought I would, but not 5500 more for my use case.

I'd be a player if they ever did a retro pricing day and went back to the 2500 it used to be once upon a time, lol.

They'd piss off a lot of people though so that would never happen.

 

[Swampgator]

. And then they wouldn't have the experience to utilize it as best possible.

You know I disagree with that. It is the experienced users that are at greatest risk of complacency and thus serious injury. Elon has said as much. An occasional user such as myself using it a few days per year would be extremely vigilant, just as every new user of EAP reports to be.

 

[Swampgator]

They'd piss off a lot of people though so that would never happen.

I agree with you there. That's why I think a pay per use fee would mitigate that risk. The folks who use Autopilot every day would consider it a bargain having paid 5K. Those that paid up front and hardly ever use it are probably still fine with that as they saw the value in it up front anyhow.
It's just like "Free" supercharging. Everyone thinks this is such a huge deal, when in reality it may be a few hundred bucks a year value. But to see people rushing at the end of July to place orders for $70,000+ cars in order to get that value was a funny thing to watch.
Us humans are a weird lot.

 

[SSonnentag]

Tesla could do a pre-paid plan, where AP would be available for X miles before being disabled again. Buy a 1,000 mile AP ticket for $100 or something.

 

[brkaus]

You know I disagree with that. It is the experienced users that are at greatest risk of complacency and thus serious injury. Elon has said as much. An occasional user such as myself using it a few days per year would be extremely vigilant, just as every new user of EAP reports to be.

Ok. I can see both ways. But the more I’ve used it, the more I know what circumstances to avoid.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Tesla will reap the benefits of allowing many owners to experience the remarkable Autopilot.

Many will chose to upgrade, not only for the current system, but also the promise of even better things to come.

For me, the Autopilot is an essential part of the Tesla ownership experience. Very people on earth have the opportunity to drive a car the also drives itself.

 

[SSonnentag]

Very [few] people on earth have the opportunity to drive a car [that] the also drives itself.

True, but the list is rapidly growing. Here is a list of all 2018 vehicles with ACC and Lane Steering available in the US. Other markets have some that are not on this list.

• 2018 BMW 5 Series
• 2018 BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid (530e)
• 2018 BMW 7 Series
• 2018 BMW 7 Series plug-in hybrid (740e)
• 2018 BMW X3
• 2018 Cadillac CT6
• 2018 Acura RLX
• 2018 Acura RLX Hybrid
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class plug-in hybrid (C350e)
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC plug-in hybrid (GLC 350e)
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE plug-in hybrid (GLE 550e)
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
• 2018 Infiniti QX50
• 2018 Nissan Leaf
• 2018 Nissan Rogue
• 2018 Tesla Model 3
• 2018 Tesla Model S
• 2018 Tesla Model X
• 2018 Lexus GS
• 2018 Lexus GS Hybrid
• 2018 Lexus LC
• 2018 Lexus LC Hybrid
• 2018 Lexus LS
• 2018 Lexus LS Hybrid
• 2018 Lexus RX
• 2018 Lexus RX Hybrid
• 2018 Audi A4/A4 Allroad/S4
• 2018 Audi A5/S5/RS 5
• 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
• 2018 Audi Q7
• 2018 Volvo S90
• 2018 Volvo V90
• 2018 Volvo V90 Cross Country
• 2018 Volvo XC60
• 2018 Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid
• 2018 Volvo XC90
• 2018 Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid

Source https://www.cars.com/articles/which-cars-have-self-driving-features-for-2018-1420699785509/

 

[suwaneedad]

I think the pay-per-use model has legs, particularly since Tesla has Silicon Valley roots, where the whole SW 'ecosystem' (pardon me while I go vomit) has moved away from one-time license into recurring revenue models. Razors & Blades, in short. Nothing prevents Tesla from rolling this approach out down the line; it's no different from paying for Supercharging.

Further, I suspect part of what OP liked best about EAP amounts to TACC, which is standard in so many vehicles these days that I expect Tesla will at some point soon need to relent and move TACC into the standard set of 'safety' features associated with the vehicles. Once TACC moves to Standard, surely the price of EAP will need to come down to protect/enhance the take rate.

 

[brkaus]

@suwaneedad i expect TACC will roll into base pricing next year it will likely raise the price, so would want to sell some $35k cars first to get that over with.

 

[AltLogic]

I am glad my trial is over.

I use the freeway about 4-6 hours per week. Autopilot was great on the freeway but I had 3 unintended decelerations. Twice at overpasses and once where a large overhead sign was at the crest of the hill.

I had to take over steering 5 times. One was due to erratic steering where the lane markings go to twice the usual lane width followed by an exit. My car weaved then tried to exit. Two were when a car in stop and go traffic changed lanes when they shouldn’t have and my car tried to accelerate my left headlight into their right tail light. The other two were for objects in the road.

Where I drive the surface streets only have short sections that are straight and there are hills everywhere. This makes cruise control a necessity to avoid speeding tickets. During my Autopilot trial I only had TACC which slowed down every time it detected a car parallel parked on the side of a curvy road. This made it unusable.

If TACC could be turned off so I only had Autopilot or dumb cruise control I might reconsider it. Full Autopilot on the freeway was impressive.

 

[MikeATL]

it was like having Chewbacca at my side as co-pilot. But much like that relationship, when sh!t got real, Han Solo took over.

Was C3PO sitting behind you telling you your odds of survival ?

 

[TLej]

Was C3PO sitting behind you telling you your odds of survival ?

Dude, never tell him the odds.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I assume Telsa is doing the math. I wonder what the adoption numbers are for EAP. The free trial suggests it might be low.

Since we all have the hardware as of right now it's just a decision about how many will pay at full price and how many would pay at a reduced price. Say 20% buy it at 5k, and another 5% at 6k after the fact. If they can get 50% of customers to buy it at $2k, they lose money. If they can get 50% to bite at $2500, then it's about a wash, but that might be preferable as it would increase odds of buying self driving.




I don't love how the steering wheel touch works. The car was always bugging me, even while I had my hand on the wheel. Making me look away from the road and then think about moving the steering wheel made it less attractive.

Free trial for AutoPilot makes sense because they've already put the hardware in, and it's something that needs to be experienced to assess value. If the FOMO trick hasn't worked thapen a free trial could help. Get ready for a $5.5k offer next.