Tesla has increased the price of a feature that doesn't yet exist—at least for customers who haven't bought it yet.
That's according to Tesla's online configurator, which lists the price of Tesla's Full Self-driving Capability feature at $5,000 following the company's latest software update to its cars. Electrek first reported the price jump.
Ever since the company launched its Autopilot 2 system it has offered the feature for an extra $3,000, only at some unspecified point in the future when the software becomes capable of doing all the things drivers do.
Once Tesla perfects the software, it automatically will be downloaded and enabled for owners who prepaid for Full Self-driving Capability.
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Following the latest price adjustment, that part remains the same.
If you don't pay up front for the software, the price has gone up to buy it later.
The price increase applies to all newly purchased Teslas, including Model S's and X's.
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Since Full Self-Driving capability isn't available yet, the question is somewhat academic.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that the first features of the Full Self-Driving Capability will be released with Tesla's Version 9 software update for the Model 3 in August, according to The Verge.
That issue is better in latest Autopilot software rolling out now & fully fixed in August update as part of our long-awaited Tesla Version 9. To date, Autopilot resources have rightly focused entirely on safety. With V9, we will begin to enable full self-driving features.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2018
Tesla buyers who didn't originally upgrade their cars from the factory were initially offered the feature at the increased purchase price, although Electrek reported that Tesla reversed the price increase for existing owners, citing a software glitch. Current Tesla owners interested in upgrading to Full Self-Driving Capability will still be charged $4,000 for the feature.
Whether buyers order the feature now or later, they also have to order Tesla's Enhanced Autopilot for another $5,000 before Full Self-Driving Capability will work.
Enhanced Autopilot adds active lane control and adaptive cruise control to the standard suite of active safety features on the car—automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitors. Those features work today on cars that were ordered with them. Owners can also have them activated on older cars that don't have them through an over-the-air upgrade. Adding Enhanced Autopilot after purchase costs $6,000.
