Tesla pushes back release of full self-driving package to 2021

Once again, Elon Musk’s promised self-driving delivery date has been pushed back.

This time the CEO has tweeted that the release of the full self-driving add-on for Tesla cars is now set for 2021.

Previously Musk had claimed that the feature would be out by the end of 2021 in the U.S., but he sounded skeptical even then. The feature is currently in beta testing for a select few users in the United States.

Absolutely. We will release FSD subscription early next year.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2020

The tweet responds to a user question on Twitter asking if the full self-driving add-on could be paid for annually via a subscription instead of upfront. This option makes more sense for people who lease a Tesla since they wouldn’t buy the full package given they won’t own the car for its full lifetime.

Specifically, Musk said that “We will release FSD (Full Self-Driving) subscriptions early next year.” To me, this could only mean that Tesla plans to charge for the service monthly. This doesn’t directly imply that FSD is coming early next year, however.

I have faith that the service will come out at some point in 2021, and I don’t think Musk would be hyping it as much as he has been without planning to show something off relatively soon.

If you think this sounds a little ridiculous, remember that when people purchase a Tesla vehicle, they have the option to spend an additional $10,600 to add the ability for their car to get the service someday. Giving people another way to pay for this without offering anything in return wouldn’t be entirely out of character for Tesla.

Source: Elon Musk