Poll: 81% of Prospective Model 3 Owners Say They Won’t Pay Upfront For Full Self-Driving

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It seems most prospective Model 3 owners aren’t willing to shell out cash upfront for a $3,000 “full self-driving capability” option that is likely years away from becoming available to engage.

In a poll posted by jsraw 81.3% (347) of respondents said they will not pay for the feature at purchase. Adding the option later will cost an additional $1,000. Of respondents, 18.7% said they will pay for FSD upfront.

According to Tesla’s website, FSD “doubles the number of active cameras from four to eight, enabling full self-driving in almost all circumstances, at what we believe will be a probability of safety at least twice as good as the average human driver. The system is designed to be able to conduct short and long distance trips with no action required by the person in the driver’s seat. For Superchargers that have automatic charge connection enabled, you will not even need to plug in your vehicle.”

Elon Musk has said that level 5 autonomous driving is possible with second generation Autopilot and the FSD option, meaning the car is fully autonomous in any and all conditions. During his TED talk in April, Musk said the company plans to conduct by the end of 2017 a coast-to-coast demo drive from California to New York without the driver touching the wheel.

Obviously, there will be regulatory hurdles ahead and Musk has said it will likely be two years before owners will be able to engage FSD capability.

See a few comments on the poll below, or go to the thread here.

Swift

EinSV

jason1466

Waiting4M3

Enginerd[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

 

[RAM_Eh]

When I placed my ordered I didn't get the FSD as I don't see it being in use for the next few years

 

[Garlan Garner]

What put the purchase of FSD over the top and had me order it is - Insurance.

I called my insurance company and they indicated that whatever I purchase with the car will be replaced upon my car being totaled in an accident.

HOWEVER:

If I "add" FSD after the purchase....then they will have to insure FSD as an accessory ( such as diamond plated rims ) which will increase my insurance rate over purchasing it with the car. Approx. a $500 per year difference.

I understand that not all insurances are the same and that policies differ from each other as much as each snowflake in 10 feet of snow.

This solidified my purchase of FSD.

 

[ePowerman]

Fully loaded M3 ordered, including FSD. I believe in Elon!

 

[C141medic]

What put the purchase of FSD over the top and had me order it is - Insurance.

I called my insurance company and they indicated that whatever I purchase with the car will be replaced upon my car being totaled in an accident.

HOWEVER:

If I "add" FSD after the purchase....then they will have to insure FSD as an accessory ( such as diamond plated rims ) which will increase my insurance rate over purchasing it with the car. Approx. a $500 per year difference.

I understand that not all insurances are the same and that policies differ from each other as much as each snowflake in 10 feet of snow.

This solidified my purchase of FSD.

Interesting. I may have to rethink my original plan of not getting FSD initially with the car. I would also save on taxes (No tax for EV in NJ) if I purchased it during my initial M3 purchase. Not entirely sure if it would be a taxable item after purchase?

 

[SlicedBr3ad]

I'm expecting to keep the car more than 8 years. At that point, I'm expecting at least level 3 to be available so got the fsd.

 

[Az_Rael]

I never checked the FSD box when I ordered because the terms stated are what govern.

If it's not part of the terms you agreed to when buying FSD, and you buy it on the basis of what Elon "mentioned", you will only have yourself to blame if this turns out not to be true. To find out if it is true, all you need to do is ask for it in writing before you buy FSD. Then you will get your answer because they will never give that to you in writing.

People are being wilfully blind if they think they are getting anything other than what the FSD terms say when you buy it.

Very true. Tesla has upgraded hardware before when it became clear that the current hardware wouldn't be sufficient, and the only upgrade path provided was "buy a new car". If you look at the old press releases on AP1 and Summon, it promises stuff that never came to fruition with AP1. Those AP1 owners were never offered an upgrade path even though Tesla never met those features it advertised. Elon's tweets are even less reliable.

I still bought FSD because I figure they will eventually release SOME feature that is FSD only, and I am hoping that feature is worth the $3K. Maybe it will be fully hands free driving on whitelisted freeways (Level 3) - that would be worth $3K to me even if it isn't Full Self Driving.

 

[drawfour]

I'm expecting to keep the car more than 8 years. At that point, I'm expecting at least level 3 to be available so got the fsd.

Has Tesla ever intimated they were going to do an L3 on the way to L4? I don't recall, and I'm not aware of any company who plans to go with L3.

 

[SlicedBr3ad]

Has Tesla ever intimated they were going to do an L3 on the way to L4? I don't recall, and I'm not aware of any company who plans to go with L3.

People say things and then something else happens. Me thinks I'll need a lot of patience for fsd features to be delivered but something worth while will happen eventually. I do expect features will be delivered one at a time. 3 cameras working, then 5 cameras, then 8, etcz

 

[Az_Rael]

Has Tesla ever intimated they were going to do an L3 on the way to L4? I don't recall, and I'm not aware of any company who plans to go with L3.

Tesla hasn't ever given us details as to what actual SAE Level they are going for. Audi's version of AP for traffic jams is technically Level 3, I believe, so companies are doing it.

Audi Newsroom

"In 2017, Audi will introduce what’s expected to the world’s first to-market Level 3 automated driving system with “Traffic Jam Pilot” in the next generation Audi A8. The system will give drivers the option to travel hands-free up to 35 mph, when certain conditions are met prior to enadling this feature — for instance, the vehicle will ensure it is on a limited-access, divided highway."

 

[drawfour]

Tesla hasn't ever given us details as to what actual SAE Level they are going for. Audi's version of AP for traffic jams is technically Level 3, I believe, so companies are doing it.

Audi Newsroom

"In 2017, Audi will introduce what’s expected to the world’s first to-market Level 3 automated driving system with “Traffic Jam Pilot” in the next generation Audi A8. The system will give drivers the option to travel hands-free up to 35 mph, when certain conditions are met prior to enadling this feature — for instance, the vehicle will ensure it is on a limited-access, divided highway."

So very limited L3. I guess that technically, that counts, but I don't really count that as L3.

 

[Az_Rael]

So very limited L3. I guess that technically, that counts, but I don't really count that as L3

If Tesla got me full level 3 in traffic jams (the Audi allows you to watch TV on the screen while using it or read a book) I would totally consider that worth the FSD price paid and be very pleased with it.

But I also live in Southern California, so traffic jams are a way of life here.

 

[Garlan Garner]

All I can say is that it appears that FSD is closer to reality today more than it ever has, however.....does that really say much?

Tesla Autopilot starts collecting videos from Model 3’s cameras in push for self-driving data

 

[mk6tes]

@mk6tes People who paid Tesla $3,000 for full self-driving might be out of luck

Don’t think that FSD is out of reach. Unlike other dinosaurs, tech companies such as Tesla always roll out the features little by little. You don’t need to wait for whole thing available to enjoy.

 

[xav-]

If Tesla got me full level 3 in traffic jams (the Audi allows you to watch TV on the screen while using it or read a book) I would totally consider that worth the FSD price paid and be very pleased with it.

But I also live in Southern California, so traffic jams are a way of life here.

That’s a good point I would not be surprised that they do that at some point.

 

[elmos_world]

i was thinking on buying fsd, but got eap instead