Copyright SlashGear
If you own a Tesla but have not yet invested in its self-driving technology, you may just find a surprise under your tree this year. Raj Jegannathan, VP and head of Tesla's North American Sales, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the company plans to offer a gifting program for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) package. The subscription gifts should be available before the holiday season, according to his post. Autonomous or self-driving vehicles are getting more and more common, and you can even hail a self-driving taxi in some U.S. cities. They may not turn heads like they would have three or four years ago, but many Americans are still wary of self-driving technology. A 2024 study by AAA, for example, found that 66% of American drivers were fearful of the technology, while 25% reported feeling uncertain about it. Despite their misgivings, many drivers are indeed interested in the technology behind these advanced systems, including automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist. Consumers cannot yet purchase fully self-driving vehicles, such as the ones employed by Waymo. Yet interest in Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology is growing, regardless of some allegations of dangerous malfunctions. As such, drivers that haven't quite committed to the program on their own may appreciate a chance to give it a try. All Tesla vehicles built after September 2014 have the active safety features that Tesla calls Autopilot, which underpin the Full Self-Driving (FSD) functions. However, drivers must purchase a subscription to access the more advanced FSD package. Previously priced at $199 per month, the subscription now costs $99 monthly. Drivers can also opt for a one-time payment of $8,000. If you're purchasing a new Tesla, you can simply add the package to your vehicle. Beyond roadway driving, FSD offers some pretty nifty features, including a summoning directive that will drive your car to you in a parking lot. Vehicles equipped with this technology also have the capability to park themselves. However, the "supervised" part of the Full Self-Driving name emphasizes the fact that drivers must remain alert when the system is engaged — meaning you can't take a nap or play a game on your phone! If you want to see for yourself how this all works before committing to buying, Tesla drivers can demo FSD (Supervised) at store locations or with a 30-day trial. In a September 2025 interview on Jay Leno's Garage, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy, disclosed that between 50% to 60% of Model S and Model X buyers were purchasing FSD. It seems this gift sale is an attempt to attract even more drivers to this technology. Although the exact details of the gifting program have not yet been disclosed, remember that it should be available before the holidays, if you decide you want to gift it.
