Written by Hyunju Jin and Jyoti Narayan
(Reuters) – Tesla is offering a one-month trial of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver assistance technology to existing and new U.S. customers, according to CEO Elon Musk and the company's website. The company plans to offer a trial version.
Mr. Musk also asked Tesla staff to demonstrate FSD to new buyers and owners of refurbished vehicles, according to two emails reviewed by Tesla officials.
The move comes as Tesla's sales and profit margins are under pressure due to price wars and slowing demand. The FSD is his $12,000 add-on that allows the vehicle to drive around town.
Tesla calls its driver-assistance systems “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving,” but says the features do not make the vehicle self-driving and require active driver supervision. There is. Mr. Musk has failed to deliver on his promise of fully autonomous driving for years, and Tesla's driver-assistance software has come under regulatory scrutiny over safety and marketing.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Monday in a post on social media platform
According to Tesla's website, the trial is offered for new sales of Tesla Models X, S, and Y.
Tesla's margins have been hurt by a price war with rivals that began more than a year ago. Tesla warned in January that sales growth would be “significantly lower” this year as it focuses on producing its next-generation electric vehicle, codenamed “Redwood.”
The company is also dealing with increased regulatory scrutiny of its self-driving systems and other areas in the United States and some European countries. In December, Tesla recalled nearly all of its 2 million vehicles on U.S. roads to install new safety equipment.
(Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru and Hyun Joo Jin in San Francisco; Editing by Jerry Doyle)
