Tesla is known for innovation and introducing new technology, and therefore, it gets a lot of attention from the groups for whom this matters. Its vehicles’ semi-autonomous features have attracted a lot of attention, but not all of them are permanently free, even for owners. But now it seems as if the company is offering owners free trials for fancier perks, according to Tesla forum posts.
Free trials of desirable features
Jalopnik did some hard searches, but no official announcement from the company about the free trials was found, so it is not possible to confirm them. But Electrek got its hands on an image of what seems to be a pop-up message on the Model S screen stating that the company is offering a trial of the optional “Autopilot Convenience Features” package for one month. Parking the vehicle using Tesla’s Summon update is included in the trial.
Electrek also reports that the company is offering owners the option of updating their car permanently and that this will cost them $3,000. The pop-up message on the Model S screen reads:
“Try Autopilot Convenience Features and experience a stress-free commute. This one-month free trial enables automatic steering, speed, lane changing, and parking with Summon. Once your trial begins, you’ll receive an email with instructions for permanently upgrading your Tesla.”
A smart move from Tesla
The hardware for running the autopilot features is present in all of the vehicles, and it requires just a click of the screen to enable the car to run them. The price the company is asking is steep despite the fact that the package includes useful and innovative features.
However, the way Tesla is releasing the feature is a smart move since the free trial should lead to an increase in the amount of drivers opting for the new update. It wouldn’t be wrong to assume that sales of the new hardware will meet the company’s expectations for two reasons.
First, the company is offering customers an opportunity to try its Autopilot Convenience Features package for free, which means that people using Autopilot will probably not let go of the update. Second, the amount the company is charging for the new update is merely 5% of the total cost of the vehicle.
People who do not plan to get the update should definitely give it a try. Tesla may also be aiming for this for the simple reason that potential customers will concede and end up buying the latest update out of curiosity.
