Imagine buying a Tesla Model 3 or Y and discovering a core feature, Autosteer, is suddenly missing. That's precisely what's happening, and it's causing quite a stir! Tesla has quietly removed Autosteer from all Model 3 and Model Y trims, leaving many wondering about the future of Tesla's driver-assistance features.
Here's the breakdown: When you configure a brand new Model 3 or Model Y on Tesla's website, the final order summary only lists Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC). Autosteer, the part of Autopilot that keeps the car centered in its lane, is conspicuously absent. This means, straight out of the factory, your new Tesla will no longer automatically steer within its lane – a feature many have come to rely on.
This move signals a significant shift in Tesla's strategy. Instead of providing a comprehensive Autopilot package as standard, they seem to be nudging customers toward the $99 per month Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscription. Think of it like this: Tesla is moving away from offering a full buffet and instead offering individual dishes a la carte, or, in this case, through a subscription.
But here's where it gets controversial... This isn't entirely new. Tesla first removed Autosteer from the 'Standard' trims of the Model 3 and Model Y back in October. The Model S and X still have FSD bundled in with their higher-end packages and the Cybertruck's base trim includes TACC only.
To understand the impact, let's quickly recap what Autopilot includes. It's comprised of two key features: Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC), which manages acceleration and braking in response to surrounding vehicles, and Autosteer, which handles lane centering. With Autosteer gone, your brand new Tesla will only manage your speed in relation to other cars, but you'll be responsible for all steering. It’s like going back to Tesla’s early days, before Autosteer became a staple. Buckle up, because manual steering is back, baby!
And this is the part most people miss... While the vehicle feature comparison matrix on Tesla's website still shows Autosteer as included in all trims except the Model 3 and Model Y Standard (consistent with the October change), the actual vehicle configurator tells a different story. Regardless of whether you choose the Standard or the Performance version (which costs upwards of $59,130), the final order page only shows Traffic Aware Cruise Control as included. You do get a 30-day trial of Full Self-Driving, but after that, you'll have to pay extra to regain Autosteer functionality.
Now, Tesla hasn't explicitly stated this is their long-term plan. However, Elon Musk responded to an X post about the change, but, interestingly, he didn't address the Autopilot change directly. Instead, he added that the price of FSD will increase as its capabilities improve. This subtly hints that not only is the Autopilot package changing, but the cost of accessing advanced features like Autosteer will likely rise in the future. It's like a silent acknowledgment of the shift.
Unsurprisingly, this change has sparked backlash online. Some users on X have called it "Tesla really going backwards," while Redditors have labeled the move "super lame" and "laughable," with some even vowing to consider other brands. And to be fair, removing lane centering does put Tesla at a disadvantage. Even Toyota's budget-friendly Corolla LE, priced under $25,000, includes lane centering as a standard feature in 2026 models.
Some speculate that this strategy is designed to boost the adoption rate of FSD. This theory aligns with reports from Tesla's Model Y Standard launch event, where a Tesla employee allegedly stated that the company aimed to push more buyers towards the FSD package through these feature changes. It's a classic case of making a desirable feature less accessible to increase demand for a premium offering.
Of course, there's another, more controversial interpretation. Could this be tied to Elon Musk's massive $1 trillion CEO Performance Award? One of the award's milestones requires Tesla to achieve 10 million active FSD subscriptions and deliver 20 million vehicles. To reach these goals simultaneously, Tesla would need a global FSD take-rate of around 50%. What better way to incentivize subscriptions than to place a highly valued feature behind a paywall? This raises the question: Is this a strategic move to drive FSD adoption, or is it a calculated step to help Musk reach his performance targets?
This situation raises some important questions about the future of driver-assistance features. Will other automakers follow suit and start charging extra for features that were once considered standard? Is this a fair trade-off for consumers? What are your thoughts on Tesla's decision? Do you think this will genuinely drive FSD adoption, or will it push potential buyers towards competitors? Share your opinions in the comments below!
