Tesla’s third iteration of its “one-time-only” Full Self-Driving (FSD) transfer program has gone live, enabling owners to transfer the purchase of FSD capability to a new vehicle for purchases made before August 31.
Tesla is leveraging this opportunity to boost demand instead of taking the right approach by allowing homeowners to update their still-unfinished software, which they paid hundreds of dollars for.
For several years, Tesla has touted its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, leaving many early adopters to cycle through multiple vehicles without the software being fully functional upon delivery? Tesla has consistently emphasized that this software program enables its vehicles to operate autonomously without human intervention.
Currently, homeowners who have access to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta, now rebranded as FSD Supervised, can utilize this feature but are required to maintain constant supervision and intervene if necessary, as the technology does not yet enable fully autonomous driving without human oversight.
Homeowners who trade-in their vehicles for a new Tesla have raised concerns about purchasing the same software again, given that the software for their previous vehicle was never fully realized in its promised state. While the initial value of buying FSD may have been higher for many early homeowners, its value has since decreased somewhat recently, potentially making it a more attractive purchase option now than it was before.
In the final 12 months, Tesla allowed Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature transfers, albeit only for a brief period of two months, stating that this would never happen again. Rather than presenting it as a necessary step to boost demand, Tesla’s move was perceived as a calculated decision to provide limited access to the software its customers had already paid for, rather than an instance of doing the right thing.
Following the initial delay, Tesla reintroduced the Full Self-Driving (FSD) option for new orders until the end of Q1. The provision was subsequently extended, indicating that this “one-time amnesty” has already been offered three or four times, depending on how one interprets it (making this potentially the fourth instance – or at least the fourth quarter during which this system has been available for at least part of it).
Following multiple inquiries regarding Tesla’s Q1 performance, specifically addressing the possibility of making the FSD (Full Self-Driving) switch permanent, the response was unequivocal: “No.”
At Tesla’s recent shareholder meeting, a question arose regarding whether homeowners could expect to see Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities activated “within another quarter,” prompting CEO Elon Musk’s response of “alright, another quarter.”
Tesla starts promoting its “Another Quarter” Full Self-Driving (FSD) upgrade offer, available until August 31.
Now that Tesla has completed the transition, it is actively promoting the plan across social media platforms and through direct communication with its customers.
Since June 24th, the atmosphere has been electric following Elon Musk’s announcement that Tesla’s sales team would start utilizing an “advanced” feature – just eleven days later. Although Tesla’s autonomous driving system was initially deployed in June with minimal fanfare, the company is now aggressively promoting its enhanced capabilities on a larger scale.
Yesterday, marking the inaugural day of its fiscal quarter, Tesla’s North American division tweeted:
Around this period, Tesla began dispatching targeted email campaigns to prospective buyers, urging them to upgrade to a newer model before the deadline of August 31.
The system will cease operations on August 31st, rather than continuing through to September 30th, which is typically the end of the quarterly period. Tesla tends to conduct end-of-quarter supply pushes, often offering incentives near the quarter’s end rather than its beginning.
Despite this, Tesla’s gross sales have stalled, while other electric vehicle manufacturers continue to accelerate their growth rapidly. Perhaps Tesla believes that granting itself additional time with this incentive program promotes a healthier pace rather than pushing to accelerate and make up lost ground at the end of the quarter, given its current progress.
Electrek’s Take
As previously stated, let’s avoid having this conversation every quarter.
Until Full Screen Display (FSD) is ready to fulfill its promise, all software updates and transfers should be complimentary for anyone who has acquired the software.
A company that pre-sold a software program only to fail to deliver it, especially one that charges hundreds of dollars and is years overdue, would be hard-pressed to earn goodwill from customers who were forced to repurchase the software for each new piece of hardware they acquire in order to run it.
While individuals can currently use Tesla’s FSD, the system is gradually improving in a step-by-step manner.
Although FSD is not fully autonomous and requires human intervention, its capabilities are limited. It cannot function independently or generate revenue through robotaxis, a promise Elon Musk reiterated at a shareholders’ meeting, which may not have been entirely realistic.
It’s high time to stop exploiting homeowners. If the challenge proves to be more formidable than initially anticipated, that’s a significant consideration. It’s unacceptable for companies to require customers to purchase additional licenses for software they’ve already acquired, especially when it wasn’t even shipped or used.
The most effective strategy would be to ensure seamless transitions continue until Stage 5 autonomy is fully implemented? The efficient permanence of perpetually-rotating products like these lies in their ability to fuel ongoing demand. Tesla appears to be perpetually on the verge of collapse, like a rug retailer struggling to stay afloat.
Unless Tesla takes concrete actions to fulfill its commitments, it may take regulatory intervention for the company to be forced into honoring its promises. Current courtroom proceedings surrounding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, alleging false advertising, have significant implications for how the company markets this software and the rights of its owners. Stay tuned to discover the results of these developments.
