Tried a FSD subscription. It's not worth it...

I bit the bullet and tried the FSD one-month subscription option for a 1700 mile road trip this past weekend in my 2020 Model 3 Standard Plus. My opinion: not worth it.

Full Self Driving is just a terrible name for what is essentially Autopilot+. I'd imagine your commute would need to involve nothing but freeway driving to get much benefit from a $200 a month subscription, and definitely not $12000.

Summon is one of those features that's neat to play with, and might come in handy once in a blue moon. I'd pay $5 to sneak the car out of a tight spot once in a while, but not a recurring subscription.

Navigate on autopilot did relieve the necessity to keep turning autopilot off and back on every time I wanted to change lanes, which begs the question of why Tesla requires you to turn the autopilot off and back on just to change lanes. The cruise control worked the same as before, and honestly, I can handle lane changes on my own.

Stoplight and stop sign handling was terrible. It ID'd stop signs that weren't there, stopped the car in the middle of a highway, and tries to stop for most green lights unless you remember to tell it not to. It stopped for no reason multiple times during the trip. This in turn caused more safety hazards than if I just disabled it to begin with.

Autopilot is generally a great tool. You can turn it on, pay attention, and not really worry too much about your car doing things you'd rather it not do. FSD adds a whole new level of anxiety and complexity that is in no way a finished product. I can't imagine the FSD Beta being any better. I could understand it if it weren't so expensive, but at $12000/$200 per month, it is wildly overpriced. I've already canceled the subscription, and I doubt I'll be missing anything when it ends except the ability to impress friends by letting the car mope around a parking lot by itself.

("Tesla Autopilot Engaged in Model X.jpg" by Ian Maddox is licensed under CC BY 4.0.)

 

[Dewg]

EAP is also not available for purchase anymore. To get lane changing you need to fork over $12k for FSD

I think it is in other countries where regulations are different.

 

[Ramphex]

I think it is in other countries where regulations are different.

Could be true, can anyone from other countries confirm this? I only know about the US options.

 

[BostonBurley]

Totally off topic, and not picking on you as it is just a regional thing that I find interesting, but "The 5" always sounds funny to the folks raised up in and around Seattle/Tacoma etc. There, it is I-5, and people look at you funny if you say The 5. The Seattle Times has recently pointed it out in articles they have going on who is local PNW and who is not. As if that even matters or is a thing.

I have never really heard people call it "the 5" before, but see it all the time on this forum. And, well, in California, I guess it is The 5, and who are the Seattle people to say that is wrong. So again, just struck me funny once more and felt compelled to comment.

Carry on!

We keep it confusing in California.

 

[BrerBear]

seriously... I use it on at least 90%. Sorry it doesn’t work as well for you. (moderator edit)

This is the area and roads it drives me on 6 days a week. View attachment 796621

So basically you use it to do long freeway drives, which are what you show here. That’s always where it has shined, and I’ve been using Autopilot on these same roads since 2016.

But FSD on the city streets in San Jose is a wide-awake nightmare.

 

[240vPlug]

FSD in its current form is not worth 12k or $199 per month. With that said though I have added it to my MYP order. The reason is that the product will improve with time and the price will increase as well. One of the main reasons folks buy Tesla is for the software updates. I honestly believe in the next year or so we will see significant improvement and within the next three years more added capabilities.

I want the auto lane change and traffic signal alert, but I’m looking at it for its future value. When the feature set increases the price will go up and the vehicle will be more valuable as a result.

I totally respect those folks that don’t see the value or agree with me. To each their own.

 

[Sunvalleylaw]

FSD in its current form is not worth 12k or $199 per month. With that said though I have added it to my MYP order. The reason is that the product will improve with time and the price will increase as well. One of the main reasons folks buy Tesla is for the software updates. I honestly believe in the next year or so we will see significant improvement and within the next three years more added capabilities.

I want the auto lane change and traffic signal alert, but I’m looking at it for its future value. When the feature set increases the price will go up and the vehicle will be more valuable as a result.

I totally respect those folks that don’t see the value or agree with me. To each their own.

If the service/program was transferable as between vehicles I might upgrade to, or there was a physical upgrade path for currently owned vehicles sold with FSD, perhaps I would consider It. But not at that price, when it goes with that car, and there does not seem to be a likely physical upgrade path.

 

[NY-Apostille]

Before I bought the model X with full FSD I had a Nissan Rogue with pro pilot. This $10,000 add-on does very little more than my Nissan rogue did. I can’t even imagine who was thinking about putting a 10 or $12,000 price tag on this technology. At the most, it should be a line item of $695 on the window sticker. You shouldn’t have to rely on the beta version to get advanced pedestrian detection or to drive in New York City with it. To pay $12,000 for this license and then risk having Tesla tell you that you violated one of its rules, and then having a license terminated, doesn’t sit right. And the fact that I paid $10,000 extra and other owners now get to try it out for $199 and realize it’s not worth it makes things even worse for owners like me. Anyway, at the end of the day I love my model X - I just wish I knew what a mistake this $12,000 feature is.

 

[Knightshade]

To pay $12,000 for this license and then risk having Tesla tell you that you violated one of its rules, and then having a license terminated, doesn’t sit right.

Nor it is how any of this works.

The FSDBeta program, which you can be kicked out of for abusing the system, is not part of your $12,000 purchase.

You aren't "entitled" to the beta because you own FSD, any more than you are "entitled" to be on The Price is Right because you got a ticket to be in the audience.

Testers are a limited subset of people who have access to FSD (with additional selection criteria on top- like physical location, safety score, etc). If you get in, it's not because you spent 12k (since as noted people with subscription access are also potentially eligible)--- and if you get kicked out you didn't lose any of the things that were part of your 12k purchase (a specific list of delivered features you would still retain).

 

[EVfourme]

Right now, you don't get a lot if you get FSD (either lump sum or subscription). Those prices are really for a mature FSD-beta software, which could be years away. Agreed there is a LOT of confusion between what is FSD and FSD beta from people who don't follow this stuff closely.

+1

 

[BostonBurley]

I'd say Tesla should just include this FSD on all their cars so they can collect a lot more data, THEN charge the premium once it's perfected.

FSD is a money grab. I doubt they’d be interested in earning less. Many people have paid for FSD, eventually sold the vehicle, and never experienced anything beyond free autopilot features. Tesla is not interested in making it right as much as making money IMO.

 

[drtimhill]

I can't imagine the FSD Beta being any better.

Well it IS much better .. so perhaps you lack imagination? Many of the issues you raise, though valid, are being addressed by the beta (though imho it is still some ways off from a general release). In reality, any "city streets" assists that are currently in general release are just very early previews of the much more capable FSD beta.

 

[remz3]

I'm glad Tesla gives you an option to try it on a monthly basis than making you miss out on it when you first by the car and decline the option.

 

[jdsalinas]

Wait, I’m confused, so FSD beta and the FSD you get with the monthly subscription are 2 different things?

 

[Ramphex]

Wait, I’m confused, so FSD beta and the FSD you get with the monthly subscription are 2 different things?

Yup. You got to cash out $12k to get the FSD package with a bunch of gimmicky functions that will work right away. If you want the actual FSD beta, that will turn for you on “city streets”, you’ll need to play the button push try-outs for an uncertain period of time after purchasing the $12k software addon.

 

[Supcom]

Yes. When you buy (or subscribe to) FSD, you get all of the FSD features EXCEPT city streets self driving. City streets FSD is not ready for general release to all FSD vehicles, so Tesla offers an "early access beta" version to some FSD vehicles.

Eventually, Tesla intends to roll city streets FSD to all FSD vehicles once it matures enough.

 

[Ramphex]

Yes. When you buy (or subscribe to) FSD, you get all of the FSD features EXCEPT city streets self driving. City streets FSD is not ready for general release to all FSD vehicles, so Tesla offers an "early access beta" version to some FSD vehicles.

Eventually, Tesla intends to roll city streets FSD to all FSD vehicles once it matures enough.

As per the “cowboy event”, by the end of this year, hold your breath in 3….2….1….

 

[Kognos]

Tesla: I would pay money for highways + lane changes, please make this happen.

However, I keep being asked if I would buy FSD, and the short and sweet answer is that I refuse to pay money that adds stress to my life. The moment Tesla is liable for accidents (real level 5 FSD), I'll pay out the nose. I might even be tempted if the car would at least alert me - like a "hey, please take over in 5 seconds" or somethng. But frankly, the stress of FSD right now isn't worth it. It's like constantly having Drivers Ed students in your car all the time. That's enough to give you ulcers.

Alternatively, I'd consider paying if FSD were tied to my account and not to the car. Having FSD fundamentally tied to the car is a ridiculous concept, considering that the exact same hardware exists in every Tesla (as of now). It's a 12k license that I would have to outright pay again on a new Tesla purchase, which is especially annoying.

 

[mdance428]

I paid the additional for FSD last year when it was a little less when I purchase my M3SR+. This was my premise on the decision. While FSD is not here yet, I knew that going into it. I don’t have a timeline to say, “I’m going to be pissed if it’s not released on X date.”

You cannot deny once FSD is fully developed and ready for mainstream, it will most likely be priceless to most.

Yes, it’s almost like investing on speculation, but it’s what I signed up for. In the long run, it was easier and cheaper to lump it in the loan than pay out of pocket $200/mo.

Those that purchased FSD with the expectation is was ready and coming soon, I get your frustration.

 

[tickl]

Yes, it’s almost like investing on speculation, but it’s what I signed up for. In the long run, it was easier and cheaper to lump it in the loan than pay out of pocket $200/mo.

Those that purchased FSD with the expectation is was ready and coming soon, I get your frustration.

I was hoping it would be out this year.

200/mo is 2400/yr which means you'll need to own and use fsd for 4 years to break even at the 10k price point

Unless you're like me where my commute is a 25 mile straight shot down a i35 with constant traffic, it's unlikely to be worth. It didn't even work on 290 from Houston to Austin.

 

[OliverM3]

My take is it adds no value. And if you're trying to save some money for the robotaxi when it comes out well you would probably be better off paying double the price and writing it off as a business expense when you're building a robotaxi fleet. Until it's approved it's not a value it's just a toy to play with because you have the money. Also I like the fine print that you will only be allowed to use robotaxi to make money through Tesla. So you're paying $12k for something you don't own and will have to pay Tesla a % to be able to make money with.