Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ feature is back on Autopilot

Tesla made a big announcement Thursday about a Tesla Model 3 electric car that starts at $35,000, but other new options popped up on the Tesla website under the Autopilot section, like the semi-autonomous driving feature.

Full self-driving mode was pulled as an option back in October, but now it’s back as a rebranded “Navigate on Autopilot” package with “future features coming later this year.” As of today, there are two Autopilot packages. The first is just called Autopilot and gives the car auto-steering and advanced cruise control. The basic version is $3,000 to include upfront. 

Then there’s the package option called “Full Self-Driving Capability.” As Tesla CEO Elon Musk explained in a press call Thursday afternoon, it’s “feature complete,” but that doesn’t mean you can use all those features. It still is the more advanced Navigate on Autopilot, which allows the car to drive mostly on its own (with you still at the wheel and paying attention) on highways only. 

Here’s what Navigate on Autopilot can do already:

On the website, some of its future capabilities are “automatic driving on city streets.”

The more advanced Autopilot is $5,000 with purchase or $7,000 for a later upgrade. Once again, drivers are paying for some potential features. Musk is boldly predicting that self-driving Teslas will be allowed by the end of 2019. 

Already the name “Autopilot” has been criticized for misleading users about its abilities despite Tesla’s repeated warnings and disclaimers that it’s not an autonomous system and the driver is still in control. But now we’ve got an even more straight-forward name, Full Self-Driving Capability, for a feature that can’t actually do what it’s labeled. 

Keep those hands on the wheel, and eyes on the road — even if you spring for the $5,000 package.