Tesla has officially announced the removal of Basic Autopilot as a standard feature for new Model 3 and Model Y orders in North America, effective immediately. The move forces buyers to sign up for the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) package for $99 per month to access the lane-keeping capabilities, which were previously free.
See also: Tesla: Shifting towards AI/autonomous driving
For nearly seven years, Tesla has included “Basic Autopilot” in every vehicle. That suite consisted of two main features: Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control. Under the new 2026 pricing structure, Autosteer has been removed, and new vehicles will now only ship with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control. Buyers who want their vehicle to automatically steer on highways will now have to pay for the software that was once standard.
This pricing adjustment comes just weeks after Tesla announced that it would stop selling FSD as a one-time purchase in February, shifting entirely to a subscription model. By removing the free Autopilot tier, Tesla is creating a “gap” in functionality that pushes users toward the $99-a-month FSD subscription. While Elon Musk has hinted that the price of FSD could increase as the software improves, the current strategy appears to be focused on volume, increasing the “take-up rate” of subscriptions, which has been quite low.
See also: Tesla misled customers about Autopilot capabilities
This is a bad move for consumers and a confusing one for the brand. For a company that has consistently argued that Tesla owners are safer when using Autopilot and FSD, making the feature more accessible should be a priority. Lane keeping is widely viewed as a safety feature, not a luxury convenience. It reduces driver fatigue and prevents accidents related to lane departures.
Tesla is now in the awkward position of offering less standard safety technology than budget cars that cost half as much. While the FSD package includes more than just lane keeping, it's clear that Tesla is removing the standard feature to push people to pay for the subscription or buy the $8,000 package before it goes subscription-only.
See also: Tesla faces investigation for traffic violations with its Full Self-Driving system
Tesla's sales have been in steady decline for two years, and it recently lost access to major subsidies in the US that had been a major contributor to its profits. This appears to be a move to immediately cash in on Tesla's financial woes.
