Tesla puts Autosteer behind $99 monthly FSD subscription in U.S. and Canada

Tesla is removing the Autosteer highway driver-assistance function and certain lane-change capabilities from the standard package on new cars sold in the U.S. and Canada, shifting those features onto a $99-per-month Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscription, company configurator updates and reporting published Jan. 25 show. The change marks a notable redefinition of which safety-adjacent technologies come as standard equipment and which are now a recurring purchase.

Autosteer has been a headline feature of Tesla’s driver-assist suite, helping with lane-centering and highway speed control. Under the configurator changes, buyers who do not opt into the FSD subscription will no longer receive Autosteer and some automated lane-change functions by default. Company listings on Jan. 25 further show new buyers will still receive Traffic Aware. The move converts a feature that many drivers long expected as part of the baseline driving experience into a paid service.

At $99 per month, the subscription costs an owner $1,188 a year, a material ongoing expense for consumers who want to retain the same highway assist behavior that was previously included. For buyers weighing one-time purchase of FSD hardware or software against monthly access, Tesla’s pivot increases the calculus around ownership costs, resale values and the perceived openness of advanced driver aids.

The change also sharpens Tesla’s ongoing business shift toward recurring revenue. Subscriptions smooth aftermarket income streams in a way that one-time software sales do not, and this step follows a broader industry trend in which automakers monetize software features post-sale. For Tesla, which has consistently pushed software and over-the-air updates as core differentiators, the move monetizes functionality already integrated into vehicle systems and calibrated to the automaker’s camera and sensor stack.

Regulatory and safety implications are immediate. U.S. and Canadian authorities and consumer safety advocates have previously scrutinized how companies describe driver-assist systems and the degree of human attention those systems require. Removing Autosteer from the standard package could prompt fresh questions about access to features that reduce driver workload on highways and about whether shifting them behind a paywall affects road safety or equity. Insurers and fleet operators, who factor driver-assist capabilities into risk models, will likely reassess premiums and procurement decisions.

For consumers, the change may force a choice between paying monthly for convenience or relying on more basic assistive features. It could also influence the used-car market as the default safety equipment of newly sold vehicles changes. Dealers and independent resellers will need to be explicit about what software subscriptions accompany a sale.

Tesla’s latest configurator update shifts the boundary between built-in vehicle function and paid service, and the full effects will play out as buyers decide whether to subscribe, regulators examine the change, and competitors react. For prospective owners sitting at the point of sale, the new line between standard and paid assistance is already clear: some of the most visible highway aids now come with a subscription price.