Model S

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sedan

Tesla customers should brace for a higher price tag for the electric car manufacturer's semi-autonomous feature suite; according to a tweet from company CEO Elon Musk, the cost for Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite will increase "probably" as of July 1. The increased price will reflect the addition of a new feature that allows Tesla vehicles to come to a complete stop for stop signs and red lights while in Autopilot mode.

The last time Tesla's FSD suite saw its price increase was in November of last year, as a result of the addition of "Smart Summon" - a feature that allows any properly equipped Tesla Model S, Model X, or Model 3 to drive itself to the keyholder autonomously, from a distance of up to 200 feet.

Smart Summon's introduction prompted a $1,000 increase in the price of Tesla's FSD suite, to $7,000. It's thought that July's price increase will be the same amount.

Tesla's aptly named "Stopping at Traffic Lights and Stop Signs" feature has been in the works for some time, with the company making reference to such a feature all the way back in December, 2018. It will add yet another competency to the growing list of capabilities supported by Tesla's semi-autonomous Autopilot software, although it uses the same cameras and GPS that are already available to the rest of the system.

The price difference, then, is simply to help cover the cost of developing the software - not to cover the cost of any additional equipment. Owners who pay $7,000 today for Tesla's FSD suite will get the forthcoming Stopping at Traffic Lights and Stop Signs function for free through an over-the-air update, whereas those who want the full suite after July 1st might have to spend $8,000 or more on top of the base price of the vehicle.

It's certainly a very different pricing model than what the rest of the industry adheres to, and those who were first to pay for the Full Self-Driving suite are the luckiest Tesla owners of all.