Tesla shifts from "selling cars" to "software SAAS"? Musk: FSD will suspend the "one-time payment model" and only accept "monthly subscriptions"

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company will stop selling the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system as a one-time payment option and will only offer a monthly subscription service. On January 14, Musk posted on social media that Tesla will discontinue the one-time purchase option for the FSD system after February 14, retaining only the monthly subscription method. He did not elaborate on the reasons for this decision. Analysts believe that this strategic adjustment reflects Tesla's shift from primarily selling electric vehicles to focusing on autonomous driving and robotics, while seeking to expand high-margin subscription revenue. Tesla's stock price fell 1.8% on Wednesday. Tesla's sales are expected to decline by 9% in 2025, with fourth-quarter sales down 16% year-on-year. Currently, electric vehicle sales still account for three-quarters of Tesla's revenue. By the end of 2025, about 12% of Tesla vehicles will have a monthly or lifetime subscription service for FSD. Subscription Model Replaces Buyout Model According to information on Tesla's official website, the company currently offers the FSD system in the U.S. for a one-time payment of $8,000 or a monthly subscription of $99. The system helps drivers change lanes more easily and navigate around other vehicles and objects, but it does not enable fully autonomous driving, as drivers must remain fully attentive at all times. For years, Musk has promoted the potential of FSD to transform every Tesla into a fully autonomous vehicle. Some Tesla customers have paid as much as $15,000 for a one-time fee to gain lifetime access to FSD, hoping their vehicles will eventually achieve fully autonomous driving through software upgrades. Despite Tesla's progress in autonomous driving, the commercially available version of FSD has not yet achieved fully autonomous driving. The FSD version offered to customers can navigate streets and park automatically, but if issues arise, it will disengage the automatic mode, requiring the driver to take over quickly. Early Users Face Hardware Challenges Tesla owners with older models cannot use the latest version of the software because their vehicles are equipped with outdated hardware. Tesla has acknowledged the need to address these customers' issues by providing hardware upgrades, but has not specified the timeline or method. Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja stated during an investor conference call in October: We do want to solve the autonomous driving issues first, and then come back to find ways to take care of these customers. These customers are very important; they are early supporters