arstechnica.com
To avoid a forced sales suspension in its largest US market, Tesla ceased including “Autopilot” with new vehicles in California. The deceptive marketing dispute with state regulators led Tesla to make the advanced driver-assist feature a paid upgrade: either a one-time $8,000 fee or a $99 monthly subscription.
CEO Elon Musk stated this subscription price will rise as capabilities improve. This shift highlights the auto industry’s growing drive for recurring revenue. Despite previous profits, declining sales and margins make these steady cash infusions desirable for Tesla’s bottom line.
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