So much for the promise of getting in the Early Access Program w/ FSD Purchase

[Robotpedlr]

When the price dropped on FSD last month, Elon tweeted that people that purchased FSD prior to the discount (me included) will get invited into the Early Access Program. I emailed Tesla this AM to see how that is going and was told that the program is full... no more invites...so sorry. WTF

Here is their reply:

Hello

Thank you for contacting Tesla with your interest in joining our software testing program. The Early Access program is invitation-only and participants are specifically chosen for evaluation. Therefore it's not open enrollment. We cannot promise that all FSD owners will receive an invitation. The program is currently at capacity and not accepting additional participants at this time.

For further questions, you can reach us 24/7 through your Tesla Account or [email protected]

 

[CaliMS]

lame.

There are some things Tesla is amazing at. Keeping their word is, unfortunately not one of them. (maybe it's just keeping with with Elon's words....)

 

[A-Wimoweh]

Thanks for trying though! Another example of why you should keep your wallet in your pants until you see the goods...

 

[emmz0r]

I am using the support page and send a support request every single week to ask about the early access program and installation of HW3. So far no response. I will keep doing it so the tickets pile up. Or do the mails go to /dev/null ?

 

[michidragon]

Huh, where's @Knightshade going on and on about how a tweet from the CEO is a binding contract and how you'd be stupid to even think for a second that you won't be invited into Early Access!?

(I'm sure this is 'different' somehow.)

Sounds like Elon promised something that he couldn't back up with action.

This is the thing. With tweets that end up meaning nothing a week or two later like this, I can't even take the HW3 'promises' seriously. I'm beginning to think that, sure, I paid for FSD, but now everything's going to just be rolled out to Enhanced Autopilot folks anyways, since they seem to be confused as to where FSD starts and ends anyhow.

 

[Knightshade]

Huh, where's @Knightshade going on and on about how a tweet from the CEO is a binding contract and how you'd be stupid to even think for a second that you won't be invited into Early Access!?

(I'm sure this is 'different' somehow.)

I mean, it substantively is.

"If you give us X dollars we will give you physical object Y" is pretty hugely different from "As a courtesy to people who already bought X in the past, we will be sending them invites to an optional testing program"

There's at least 2 pretty large differences, legally, between those.... see if you can spot them.

 

[Az_Rael]

I mean, it substantively is.

"If you give us X dollars we will give you physical object Y" is pretty hugely different from "As a courtesy to people who already bought X in the past, we will be sending them invites to an optional testing program"

There's at least 2 pretty large differences, legally, between those.... see if you can spot them.

Eh, I wasn't promised "physical object Y" when I made my FSD purchase prior to the HW3 announcement. I was promised software capability Z. HW3 did not exist at that point.

As long as Tesla delivers capability Z, I got what I paid for. If they manage to get that running on my hardware then I am good, no HW3 needed. At that point the HW3 statements do become like the Early access invites to us early adopters. A courtesy to people who had already bought X that they then decided to retract.

The stuff VeryGreen is finding in the latest release is hinting at them getting stop light and stop sign detection running on HW2.5. That only leaves city streets.


HW3 is real and out in cars now, so I guess we will know soon if/when Tesla starts scheduling retrofits.

 

[emmz0r]

Either way it was a preorder that got a price cut, when it was touted that you would save money by buying early. That's the crux of the matter, not HW3 in particular. But if the lack of HW3 gives slower update rate / lack of features, then that's a huge problem also.
Don't hold your breath for retrofits.

 

[Robotpedlr]

and its not just Elon... there is a Tesla Blog page that says it also. Was hoping that is more official. But the support person sent me a sentence from that and added in "if space is available.." which the site does NOT say.

Here is the link...plus a full cut and paste, incase it magically changes March 1, 2019 - Tesla Blog I Underlined the sentence that calls it out

Upgrading to Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability
The Tesla Team March 1, 2019
All customers who bought a Tesla before yesterday’s price decrease will be able to buy the Autopilot or Full Self-Driving capability for half of what those features would normally cost after initial purchase.

Autopilot, which enables automatic steering, accelerating and braking, normally costs $4,000 after delivery and Full Self-Driving normally costs $7,000 after delivery. Full Self-Driving capability includes Navigate on Autopilot, Advanced Summon, Auto Lane Change, Autopark and, later this year, will recognize and respond to traffic lights.

Any customer who bought a Tesla prior to this week’s price adjustment will be able to upgrade to Autopilot for $2,000 or Full Self-Driving capability for an additional $3,000 (those who previously purchased Enhanced Autopilot and want to upgrade to Full-Self Driving capability only pay $2,000). In other words, for a customer who previously hadn’t purchased Autopilot plus Full Self-Driving, they will soon be able to do so for $6,000 less than before. Customers who previously purchased Full Self-Driving will receive an invitation to Tesla’s Early Access Program (EAP). EAP members are invited to experience and provide feedback on new features and functionality before they are rolled out to other customers.

Beginning next month, any existing customer who wants to upgrade to Autopilot or Full Self-Driving capability will be able to do so with a one-click payment. There will be no need to call anyone, and it will be as easy as it was to order your car in the first place.

 

[emmz0r]

Thanks. Saved to archive.is http://archive.is/HpIuS and wayback machine Upgrading to Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability

 

[Jbailey]

You are not missing anything. For virtually all upgrades, the EAP members do not receive the downloads any earlier. maybe when FSD pushes some really esoteric stuff, this will change. Since EAP was touted as a compensation for paying more for FSD rather than less as was promised by Elon, maybe tesla will send out all upgrades first to EAP members...but I am not holding my breath. I really don't expect things to make sense or be predictable anymore

 

[emmz0r]

Yeah I was optimistic about the Early Access program, I was also thinking of getting another S or even a Model 3 for my wife. But this flipflopping and going back on promises makes me not want to give Tesla more money.

 

[TiggerTime]

When the price dropped on FSD last month, Elon tweeted that people that purchased FSD prior to the discount (me included) will get invited into the Early Access Program. I emailed Tesla this AM to see how that is going and was told that the program is full... no more invites...so sorry. WTF

This really isn't any different than other EAP. Most have caps on the number of people in EAP at a given time. Some programs you actually have to fill out questionnaire as part of the selection process. One program I'm in (not Tesla) you have to be invited by another EAP member and even then it isn't a sure thing. This same program took well over a month to gain access even after I was accepted.

So, Tesla isn't any different. You get on the list and wait for a slot to open up just like a sold out sporting event or concert.

 

[whitex]

When Elon or Tesla says anything, you have to interpret it in the most strict and hostile way you can - like negotiating with a sleazy salesman. If he says the car is capable of something, it doesn't mean it will ever do it. In this case he never said ALL people who pre-paid, nor did he say by when, so many fine print loopholes. If there is one thing I learned from buying Teslas, is to never pay for anything not available at deliver time. Over the years probably paid over $30K for explicit features which will NEVER come, and then of course there are features which were standard, but never came either, so not sure how to value them (e.g. there was no specific surcharge for blind spot monitoring on my 2015 car, but it was listed as a feature and never delivered).

 

[dbldwn02]

When Elon or Tesla says anything, you have to interpret it in the most strict and hostile way you can - like negotiating with a sleazy salesman. If he says the car is capable of something, it doesn't mean it will ever do it. In this case he never said ALL people who pre-paid, nor did he say by when, so many fine print loopholes. If there is one thing I learned from buying Teslas, is to never pay for anything not available at deliver time. Over the years probably paid over $30K for explicit features which will NEVER come, and then of course there are features which were standard, but never came either, so not sure how to value them (e.g. there was no specific surcharge for blind spot monitoring on my 2015 car, but it was listed as a feature and never delivered).

You are a true fan after going through all that crap and yet still continue to love the car and brand. I applaud you.
Although many of the features that were never delivered seem small, they just keep snowballing. I think FSD will be the thing to truly bite them hard this time. Taking money for specific features that may never be delivered is ballsy, especially if they give it to new buyers for cheaper over those of us who paid more up front years ago. I really wish them the best and I hope to be not driving my FSD car one day.

 

[michidragon]

There's at least 2 pretty large differences, legally, between those.... see if you can spot them.

Jeez, dude. Your goalposts have wheels. And they're the performance model.

 

[whitex]

You are a true fan after going through all that crap and yet still continue to love the car and brand. I applaud you.

You are correct. Here are the stages I went through:

1. At first I was a huge fan, recommended the car to everyone who asked
2. Started recommending the car with a caveat that it's an early adopter car and usually needs some TLC from service after delivery, but service has been amazing for me, so as long as you know what you're getting into, it's worth it
3. Got bit by things like 691hp and other undelivered features. Started recommending buying only if you're happy with what you get at delivery time, never pay for future features, stay away from top end because it's bleeding edge and might get curtailed as Tesla learns that it's going to cost them in repairs to push the car too hard (remember various P90D battery and accelerations issues).
4. With the recent service issues, and having gone through an accident with one Tesla, I still recommend buying low or mid end, with no future features, BUT I warn people it should not be their only car in case it needs service or repairs. I tell them it helps if you can do some repairs yourself.
5. I also share OTA warnings, how software can get worse (slower, less usable) and how some bugs can cost you (like our broken side mirror, when Tesla decided to auto unfold mirrors >0mph in one release only)

So, today I tell people the car is a blast to drive. User interface is not ideal. The car usually requires some TLC from SC after delivery, but at least for me the cars held up after initial round if service. SC's have a month long wait today, 1-2 weeks it it can be done by a ranger. Ignore anything Elon says, that is just bunch of hot air, so never count on anything not there on delivery day. Tesla is still the best EV on the market today, but new ones are coming soon. Personally I am waiting to see the etron and Taycan before deciding on my next car.

 

[Knightshade]

Jeez, dude. Your goalposts have wheels. And they're the performance model.

They really haven't moved.

Even slightly.

And hey look, turned out I was 100% correct as directly confirmed yesterday by Elon about the HW3 upgrade too!

 

[thenaimis]

And hey look, turned out I was 100% correct as directly confirmed yesterday by Elon about the HW3 upgrade too!

I wouldn't take a tweet from Elon as confirmation for what he had for lunch, much less what Tesla is going to offer to existing customers.

 

[dbldwn02]

I wouldn't take a tweet from Elon as confirmation for what he had for lunch, much less what Tesla is going to offer to existing customers.

Yeah not to mention he didn't say ANYTHING about HW2.0. Which leads me to believe there's a lot of changes between 2.0 and 3. OR, 2.0 just never existed.

"Anyone who purchased full self-driving will get FSD computer upgrade for free. This is the only change between Autopilot HW2.5 & HW3. Going forward “HW3” will just be called FSD Computer, which is accurate. No change to vehicle sensors or wire harness needed. This is v important"