[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang] Tesla is removing Autopilot to encourage subscriptions to FSD (Full Self-Driving), The Verge reported on Thursday. Tesla has removed Autopilot, which had been included by default with purchases of the Model 3 and Model Y in North America. To use Autopilot, including lane keeping, users must subscribe to FSD for $99 a month.

Lane-keeping assist, which was part of the basic Autopilot functions, has been removed, but Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is still provided as standard. Tesla has recently shifted FSD from package sales to monthly and annual subscriptions as it seeks to maximize revenue. This also coincides with a situation in which Tesla received a 30-day sales suspension in California over allegations it exaggerated the promotion of Autopilot features.

Tesla has included Autopilot as standard since 2019 and offered FSD as a paid option. At the time, Elon Musk said, "By mid-2020, FSD will advance to the point where drivers will not need to watch the road." But FSD still requires driver attention, and the robotaxi service did not start until 2025. Tesla has recently expanded testing of fully autonomous vehicles, but it is still at a level where a chase vehicle accompanies them, The Verge reported.