Tesla was recently ordered by a judge to upgrade an owner's self-driving computer system. This is so the customer can actually begin to use the Full Self-Driving beta software he paid for, without having to pay extra now. Other Tesla customers appear to be in a similar situation, so it will interesting to see how this all plays out.
As the story goes, Tesla charged many customers for Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability long before the tech was ready to ship. Later, it began testing the tech in the real world with owners at the wheel. It has been years since FSD first came to market, and while Tesla has added many features and made marked improvements, it's still not a "self-driving" system.
Tesla has already had to upgrade the FSD computer even though it said that all vehicles would be produced with the hardware necessary to run the software. Fortunately, the automaker provided the upgrade for free.
Interestingly, even though Tesla eliminated customer concerns by offering the free upgrade, the problem was yet to be solved. This is because Tesla started offering a subscription version of FSD that cost only $199 per month rather than the $12,000 to $15,000 people were paying up front. Moreover, the subscription could be added or canceled at any time.
When some owners paid for the subscription, they still couldn't use the technology without also paying $1,500 to get the needed FSD computer upgrade. While Tesla was covering the upgrade for people who paid in full, this wasn't the case for the subscribers. Tesla eventually reduced the computer upgrade cost to $1,000.
One of the impacted customers sued Tesla for charging extra for the computer after promising all hardware was included or free to upgrade. According to a recent article published by Electrek, he won. Ian Jordan headed to a Washington small claims court, but Tesla didn't show up to fight the case. The judge ruled, via Electrek:
"Furthermore, Plaintiff purchased a second Tesla Model 3, relying on advertisem*nt from the company that all Tesla 3 models come with all the necessary hardware for self-driving. Defendant learned that, in fact, installing the self-driving function would cost $1,106 in further hardware upgrades in violation of Tesla’s false advertising."
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The Tesla owner also won a related claim after the company told him that he would need to upgrade a component on his other Tesla vehicle. The unit was under warranty, but Tesla wanted to charge him to move up to the newer version. The judge ruled that this is a breach of warranty, and Tesla must pay Jordan for the cost of the new unit (~$1,650) plus an additional $500 in compensation for issues caused by the loss of functionality.
FAQs
Tesla was recently ordered by a judge to upgrade an owner's self-driving computer system. This is so the customer can actually begin to use the Full Self-Driving beta software he paid for, without having to pay extra now.
Does full self-driving computer mean you have FSD? ›
Autopilot: The autopilot features are enabled. Enhanced Autopilot: You have autopilot in addition to some FSD features enabled (but not all of them). Full Self Driving Capability: Your vehicle has FSD turned on. If there is no reference to autopilot or FSD, your vehicle has no autopilot or FSD features.
How do I upgrade my Tesla free computer? ›
If you purchased Full Self-Driving capability and have Autopilot computer 2.0 or 2.5, you are eligible for a complimentary upgrade to FSD computer. Schedule your installation from the Tesla app by selecting 'Schedule Service' > 'Accessories' > 'Upgrades & Accessories' > 'Full Self-Driving computer.
Did Tesla order to upgrade self-driving computer for free due to false advertising? ›
"Plaintiff purchased a second Tesla Model 3, relying on advertisem*nt from the company that all Tesla 3 models come with all the necessary hardware for self-driving," argued the judge, and awarded him a free FSD computer upgrade. Tesla also has to compensate the plaintiff for unwarranted upgrade...
Do you have to pay for Tesla upgrades? ›
Some upgrades offer optional improvements or feature sets to your Tesla, which permanently enhance its overall performance or capabilities, and are available for purchase.
How much does it cost to upgrade the FSD computer? ›
When some owners paid for the subscription, they still couldn't use the technology without also paying $1,500 to get the needed FSD computer upgrade. While Tesla was covering the upgrade for people who paid in full, this wasn't the case for the subscribers. Tesla eventually reduced the computer upgrade cost to $1,000.
What does it mean when Tesla has full self-driving computer? ›
With Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability, you will get access to a suite of more advanced driver assistance features, designed to provide more active guidance and assisted driving under your active supervision.
Do all Teslas come with FSD computer? ›
Autopilot comes standard on every new Tesla. For owners who took delivery of their vehicle without Autopilot, there are multiple packages available for purchase, depending on when your vehicle was built: Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability.
How much does a Tesla computer cost? ›
Tesla has dropped the price of their FSD Computer/Hardware 3.0 upgrade to $1,000, from the previous price point of $1,500. This applies to vehicles that still have Hardware 2.0/2.5 computers and want to try the new Tesla FSD subscription service rolled out this weekend.
Can I upgrade my Tesla to full self-driving? ›
If your vehicle is eligible and the upgrade is available for your vehicle, you can schedule an appointment in the Tesla app by selecting 'Schedule Service' > 'Accessories' > 'Upgrades & Accessories' > 'Full Self-Driving computer. '
Autopilot comes standard on every new Tesla. For owners who took delivery of their vehicle without Autopilot, there are multiple packages available for purchase, depending on when your vehicle was built: Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability.
Does every Tesla have FSD? ›
All Teslas sold include the feature called Autopilot (AP) which is to say they all come with Adaptive or Dynamic Cruise Control that uses this hardware. Customers may choose to upgrade to Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) or Full Self Driving (FSD) at the time of purchase or later in the vehicle's life.
How do you activate FSD? ›
To choose how you activate Full Self-Driving (Beta) go to Controls > Autopilot > Autopilot Activation and choose Single Pull or Double Pull. If the setting for Autopilot Activation is set to Single Pull, Full Self-Driving (Beta) engages when you pull the drive stalk fully down once.
