Elon Musk Says Tesla Is Raising the Price of ‘Full Self-Driving’ Software to $15,000

Tesla raises the price of its “Full Self Driving” software to $15,000 Elon Musk said in a tweet on Sunday:.

Tesla is being criticized by federal and state officials for how it has advertised its self-driving technology, as well as concerns about safety risks associated with its self-driving capability.

Customers who order the Full Self Driving or FSD software before September 5 will receive the product below its current price, Tesla CEO Musk said in the tweet. The $3K price hike arrives as Tesla introduces FSD beta 10.69, a new iteration with “improved overall ease of driving” and “reduced false delays at crosswalks.” according to the company.

The FSD software does not make a car completely self-driving. Instead, users need to stay focused on the road and keep their hands on the wheel. The Autopilot system, meanwhile, provides navigation to and from user-specified destinations, as well as suggestions for lane changes and other maneuvers to optimize a trip.

Tesla has come under sharp criticism over its marketing of the FSD software and Autopilot.

Earlier this month, the California Department of Motor Vehicles alleged that the company is deceptively advertising the products as fully autonomous, according to two filings with California’s Office of Administrative Hearings. The registrations were first reported by The Los Angeles Times.

Similarly, last year Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Tesla’s advertising for the FSD software and Autopilot.

“Tesla’s marketing has repeatedly overestimated the capabilities of its vehicles, and these statements pose an increasing threat to motorists and other road users,” Markey and Blumenthal said in a letter to FTC Chairman Lina Khan.

Commenting on the letter, Tesla Senior Director of Public Policy Rohan Patel said in March: “Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD Capability features improve our customers’ ability [sic] to drive more safely than the average driver in the US” The answer was: first reported by Reuters.

Tesla vehicles using the Autopilot system were involved in 273 reported accidents over a period of about a year ending in June, according to data released that month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tesla vehicles accounted for nearly 70% of accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems during that period, the data shows.