Tesla to Offer Free 1-Month Autopilot Service

Tesla Motors Inc. is offering a one-month free promotion to enable Model S and Model X electric vehicle buyers to try the company’s Autopilot driver-assist package. The offer is for customers who didn’t specify the system at the time of purchase.

After the trial period is over, customers can permanently add Autopilot for $3,000—which is $500 more than the system costs as a dealer option.

The software package enables automated steering, braking, throttle control and lane changes during highway driving. The company began offering the technology last autumn on new vehicles and as a software download for models already on the road. Every vehicle Tesla has built since late 2014 includes the necessary cameras, sensors and other hardware needed to support the system.

The carmaker hasn't said what the take rate has been for the option or how many Autopilot models are on the road. It added some unspecified “safeguards” shortly after launching Autopilot to prevent drivers from doing “crazy things.”

Tesla encourages drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel while the car is being operated autonomously. And CEO Elon Musk has stressed that drivers are ultimately responsible for their own safety.