Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: Tesla Drops Autopilot as It Pushes Drivers Toward Full Self-Driving Software

January, 24, 2026-04:52

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Tesla Drops Autopilot as It Pushes Drivers Toward Full Self-Driving Software:

Tesla has discontinued Autopilot, its entry-level driver-assistance system, as the company looks to accelerate adoption of its more advanced technology, Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

The move comes amid mounting regulatory pressure in California, Tesla’s largest U.S. market. The company is facing a potential 30-day suspension of its manufacturing and dealer licenses after a judge ruled in December that Tesla had engaged in deceptive marketing by overstating the capabilities of both Autopilot and FSD over several years. The California Department of Motor Vehicles, which brought the case, temporarily stayed the ruling for 60 days, allowing Tesla time to comply — including by eliminating the use of the Autopilot name.

Previously, Autopilot bundled two features: Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which maintains speed and distance from other vehicles, and autosteer, which helps keep the car centered in its lane and navigate curves. Tesla’s online vehicle configurator now shows that new vehicles come standard only with Traffic Aware Cruise Control. It remains unclear whether the change affects existing customers.

The decision follows Tesla’s announcement last week that it will eliminate the $8,000 one-time purchase option for FSD starting February 14. After that date, the software will only be available via a $99 monthly subscription. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the subscription price will rise as the software improves.

Musk has repeatedly claimed that Tesla vehicles will eventually be capable of “unsupervised” driving, suggesting future versions of FSD will allow drivers to be on their phones or even sleep during trips. While he said in December that recent updates already permit phone use, texting while driving remains illegal in most U.S. states.

On Thursday, Tesla also launched the first robotaxi versions of its Model Y SUVs in Austin, Texas. The vehicles operate without human safety personnel onboard and run a more advanced version of Tesla’s driving software, though they are still monitored by company-operated vehicles nearby.

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi