FSD Transfer Confusion.

[MEDICALJMP]

According to the generally held consensus on these forms, full self driving is supposed to transfer from you to the new owner of your old Tesla. That is, unless you sell it back to Tesla. At that point they remove full self driving and sell it again to the new owner if they choose that option. I just watched the most recent NOW YOU KNOW. They state, multiple times, that FSD is removed from your car by Tesla when you sell the vehicle and it is registered to the new owner at which point Tesla sells FSD at the new, higher current price.



What is the reality? FSD is currently a McGuffin, a Holy Grail. I reserved FSD at $7000 in case this becomes a reality before my Cybertruck is delivered knowing it would be several years before I get CT. If I ever choose to sell CT or gift it to a relative I want the asset I paid for to transfer completely. If it is deleted by Big Tesla because they get greedy and want to resell software with every private transfer of ownership then they will lose my purchase of FSD from the start.

 

[Ogre]

According to the generally held consensus on these forms, full self driving is supposed to transfer from you to the new owner of your old Tesla. That is, unless you sell it back to Tesla. At that point they remove full self driving and sell it again to the new owner if they choose that option. I just watched the most recent NOW YOU KNOW. They state, multiple times, that FSD is removed from your car by Tesla when you sell the vehicle and it is registered to the new owner at which point Tesla sells FSD at the new, higher current price.

When you shop for a used Tesla you don’t “Pick” FSD, the car either has it or not. It is not priced separately, it is just listed as a feature.

How would anyone even know if they “Strip it off and add it back at a higher price”? The price for FSD is not separated out at all.

My suspicion has long been that Tesla adds FSD to some of their used fleet which didn’t have it previously, but that’s hard to say. A high percentage of cars on their site are listed with FSD, but that could just be because the ones without FSD get bought up quicker.

Anyhow. The price they set is likely based on a percentage of what a new car sells for with FSD.

 

[CyberGus]

I just watched the most recent NOW YOU KNOW. They state, multiple times, that FSD is removed from your car by Tesla when you sell the vehicle and it is registered to the new owner at which point Tesla sells FSD at the new, higher current price.

I am very skeptical of this claim.

There was an instance a few years ago where someone bought a used Tesla that included FSD, which was deleted by Tesla post-sale. However, this was determined to be a mistake, and Telsa later restored FSD.

All messaging from Tesla says that the FSD license conveys with the vehicle.

 

[Crissa]

There was once, several years ago, that a used car was sold by a dealer as having FSD but the paperwork said it didn't and when it was rebooted by Tesla, it didn't, but it had it previously...

...That was once. Why do we need to rehash it repeatedly?

Tesla could totally strip used cars they own of options and it'd be perfectly legal.

They don't, though.

-Crissa

 

[MEDICALJMP]

I’m not talking about a used car you buy from Tesla, per se. I’m talking about a private sale from you to me. You sell your Y with FSD to me. You paid for FSD and you are selling it to me as “with FSD included.” I am buying it expecting that the price I pay you for the used Y with FSD once registered to my account with Tesla will be my FSD model or does Tesla strip away the FSD on registration with them as Zac and Jessie say? These guys have been highly praised here as having accurate information, not just Tesla fanboys.

Those who have previously replied, did you watch the video?

I am well aware of the example you stated, but has it changed?

What is the truth?

 

[Ogre]

Tesla makes it very clear FSD is transferable. That is one of it’s selling points. When you buy FSD, Tesla is obliged to deliver certain features to that car.

Thousands of used Teslas with FSD are bought and sold every single day. If it gets stripped when individuals resell their car, there would be an absolutely massive lawsuit going on right now.



Thinking on this more, Tesla almost certainly revokes FSD on any car they purchase themselves then re-issues it. They changed the description of FSD to reduce the number of features they are required to deliver so switching to the “New” version of FSD reduces their obligation. But they can’t do this with sales they don’t do themselves.

Essentially old FSD talked about delivering full RoboTaxi and the “new” version of FSD agreement only promises “navigation on City Streets”.

 

[Ogre]

What is the truth?

What is in the legal fine print today may change.

Currently FSD is considered part of the car and transfers with the car. In the future, this may change. Read the contract if you sign up for FSD.

 

[CyberT]

Elon has stated on several occasions that FSD stays with the vehicle and NOT with the owner. I'm sure if I looked it up I could find his statements but I just don't have a spare 20 seconds......

Damn, I spent longer than 20 seconds typing this up. Opps

 

[android04]

FSD stays with the car in a private sale, just like any other option. I'm surprised that Zack and Jessie would get that wrong. I haven't seen any of their videos in a few years, but they always struck me as pretty knowledgeable about Tesla stuff.

Here are 3 scenarios I know of where FSD didn't/doesn't transfer to a new owner:

1. A few were mistakes on private sales when the new owner went to register account access with Tesla. Some of those were actually a mistake where Tesla delivered a brand new car to an owner with FSD turned on by mistake (and for free). When the car was sold, Tesla found out that FSD was not paid for and removed it when the new owner requested account access.

2. If Tesla buys your car with FSD, they can remove FSD to sell it without it. They can make more money from the new owner to unlock FSD again, or make the car more affordable without FSD. If Tesla offers a fair price for the car and the first owner is satisfied with the money, who cares what Tesla does with it? It becomes their property again to do what they please with. Same with the new owner -- if they think the price is worth it who cares about the history or presence of FSD?

3. If Tesla takes your older Tesla car on trade-in and sells it at auction to a major reseller, they can stipulate that FSD doesn't transfer over. Once again, it's Tesla's car before the end of the auction and they can do what they want with it. There have been reports of Teslas bought from Vroom or Carvana or CarMax or other similar resellers that showed FSD as active on the test drive or on the touchscreen, only to be removed when the new owner registered for account access with Tesla. In this scenario, I believe Tesla can do better. If they sell the car at auction and one of the conditions is that FSD doesn't transfer, then Tesla should immediately push an update to the car and disable the FSD. This way potential or new owners don't get misled. Or alternatively, make the reseller agree to keep paperwork in the car that informs the potential or future owner that the car does not come with FSD.

This is why it's a good idea to keep the Monroney sheet or receipt that shows your car has FSD. If you sell the car, let the new owner have it as proof. It also helps in case it gets taken away by mistake.

 

[Ogre]

There was once, several years ago, that a used car was sold by a dealer as having FSD but the paperwork said it didn't and when it was rebooted by Tesla, it didn't, but it had it previously...

It’s reached urban legend status.

It will haunt us forever like the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Lawn Darts, and Mikey the Life Cereal guy dying from eating too many pop rocks and drinking Coke.

 

[Crissa]

To be specific, some people even threatened a lawsuit back when FSD was new that they intended to sell it with even though (like free supercharging) Tesla had not intended it to transfer.

But that was like, almost ten years ago. (2015)

-Crissa

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I’m not talking about a used car you buy from Tesla, per se. I’m talking about a private sale from you to me. You sell your Y with FSD to me. You paid for FSD and you are selling it to me as “with FSD included.” I am buying it expecting that the price I pay you for the used Y with FSD once registered to my account with Tesla will be my FSD model or does Tesla strip away the FSD on registration with them as Zac and Jessie say? These guys have been highly praised here as having accurate information, not just Tesla fanboys.

Those who have previously replied, did you watch the video?

I am well aware of the example you stated, but has it changed?

What is the truth?

Surely you don't believe any of us know the truth. Elon Musk has said, publicly, many times, that FSD goes with the car, so if you sell a car with FSD on it that you paid for you have every right to price it into the sale and heaven help Tesla if they mess with it somehow.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

To be specific, some people even threatened a lawsuit back when FSD was new that they intended to sell it with even though (like free supercharging) Tesla had not intended it to transfer.

But that was like, almost ten years ago. (2015)

-Crissa

I watched the Now You Know video last night. I think that Zach and Jessie don't actually know what will happen to their Model 3s in resale so we have to discount that. With Zach's Model X, given that it is Gen 1 FSD with MobilEye, I think that we see their complaint; for Zach the car is at end of life (for him) and he has never really been able to use his $2,500 investment. In a very real way Tesla lied to him; not literally but effectively, and he believes (as do I) that tieing the FSD to the buyer instead of the car alleviates any possible complaints and legal action. I agree. I wrote to Elon a year ago and suggested as much and never heard back at all (but he made clear at the next earnings call that it would not be transferrable so I kind of got a reply), and I certainly agree that Tesla would face a serious class action suit from these 600,000 FSD 'owners' that would make the Rivian fiasco palein comparison, and they would lose, if they continue down this road. The answeris really quite simple; put it in writing that you can sell your call with FSD to anyone you want and that Tesla will not interfere in any way. Anything else is just dangerous and stupid for Tesla.

 

[Ogre]

I watched the Now You Know video last night. I think that Zach and Jessie don't actually know what will happen to their Model 3s in resale so we have to discount that. With Zach's Model X, given that it is Gen 1 FSD with MobilEye…

Ah. Makes more sense now. This has less to do with transferring FSD and more to do with simply not getting what was promised.

People who bought or leased a car with FSD and never enjoyed the projected benefits have a legit beef. This is particularly true with people who leased the car.

 

[Crissa]

If you leased a car with FSD, you never paid the full, upfront cost.

And Sparky ought to be eligible for a camera upgrade. https://www.tesla.com/support/full-self-driving-computer

-Crissa