Tesla Shocks Market by Removing Driver-Assistance Features, Shifts to Monthly Subscription Model

Tesla sparked controversy across the automotive market after quietly removing several driver-assistance features from newly sold vehicles in the United States and Canada, forcing customers to pay a monthly subscription to regain functionality that was previously standard.

According to updated vehicle configuration pages on Tesla’s website, buyers of new models will now receive only adaptive cruise control as a default feature. More advanced capabilities, such as Autosteer, which keeps a vehicle centered in its lane on highways, are no longer included.

Customers seeking comparable levels of driver assistance must now subscribe to Tesla’s broader Full Self-Driving (Supervised) package, priced at $99 per month.

The move underscores Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s intensifying focus on monetizing Tesla’s artificial intelligence-based driving technologies, as the company grapples with slowing sales of its aging electric vehicle lineup.

Musk has repeatedly positioned autonomous driving as Tesla’s long-term growth engine, spanning both personal vehicles and the company’s planned robotaxi network. Investors, meanwhile, are increasingly assessing whether Tesla can convert its AI ambitions into sustainable profits.

Despite vehicle sales remaining Tesla’s primary revenue stream, much of the company’s $1.4 trillion valuation is tied to expectations around artificial intelligence and autonomy.

Tesla has also discontinued its basic Autopilot package, which previously bundled Autosteer, and has stopped selling its Enhanced Autopilot system that enabled automated lane changes. These decisions mark a clear departure from Tesla’s earlier strategy of offering multiple tiers of semi-autonomous features.

The Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscription now represents the sole pathway for customers seeking advanced driver assistance. The system allows vehicles to navigate city streets but requires continuous driver supervision.

Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer, Vaibhav Taneja, said in October 2025 that only 12% of Tesla customers had paid for Full Self-Driving, highlighting the challenge of broad adoption.

Adding to the shift, Tesla announced last week that it will stop offering Full Self-Driving as a one-time purchase priced at $8,000, effective February 14, 2026. Musk has indicated that the subscription price will rise over time as the software’s capabilities improve.

As part of his long-term compensation plan, Musk is reportedly targeting 10 million Full Self-Driving subscribers over the next decade.

The decision has drawn criticism from Tesla owners, many of whom voiced frustration on social media. One user wrote on X: “Many people, myself included, subscribe to Full Self-Driving only for long road trips and rely on basic Autopilot for daily driving. This is honestly disappointing.”