Tesla FSD and Autopilot: Features, HW3 vs AI4, and Subscriptions

Tesla’s driver-assist lineup looks very different than it did a year ago. Basic Autopilot no longer comes on new cars, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is sold only as a subscription, and what you get depends partly on whether your car has HW3 or AI4. For Canadian owners and shoppers, the details matter.

What Can Tesla FSD (Supervised) Do?

FSD (Supervised) is Tesla’s most capable driver-assistance system. According to Tesla, it can handle nearly any drive as long as you’re actively watching, on highways as well as residential and city streets. That includes following your navigation route, changing lanes, going around vehicles and obstacles, turning left and right, handling intersections and roundabouts, and taking highway ramps. It also includes Autopark for parallel and perpendicular spots, and, on some vehicles, both Actually Smart Summon and Dumb Summon.

It engages below 150 km/h, and five Speed Profiles set how assertively it drives, from Sloth through Chill, Standard and Hurry up to Mad Max, with a separate option to use HOV lanes.

Despite the name, FSD doesn’t make a Tesla autonomous. Tesla says none of these features replace you as the driver. Cabin monitoring enforces that: ignoring repeated alerts earns a “strikeout” that shuts FSD off for the rest of the drive, and collecting three or five of them (it varies by car) locks you out for a week. A strikeout drops off after half a week without a new one.

In Europe, Tesla now markets FSD as Tesla Assisted Driving, and approvals keep spreading country by country, most recently Slovakia on October 16. In North America it’s still called FSD (Supervised).

What’s the Difference Between Autopilot and FSD ?

The big shift came on January 22, 2026, when Tesla took Basic Autopilot out of its design studio for new cars for North American buyers. Basic Autopilot paired Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) with Autosteer, which holds the car in the middle of its lane. New Teslas now come with TACC and active safety features only; with TACC, steering is still entirely up to you. Cars that already had Autopilot keep it.

That standard safety kit covers automatic emergency braking, front and side collision alerts, blind spot monitoring, obstacle-aware acceleration, and both regular and emergency lane departure avoidance.

Software update 2026.2.9 also renamed several features: Navigate on Autopilot became Navigate on Autosteer, the menu tab once labelled Autopilot now reads Self-Driving, and Tesla calls the FSD Computer the AI Computer. Nothing changed functionally.

Can You Still Buy Enhanced Autopilot?

No. Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) was on sale in North America between 2022 and 2024, and it isn’t offered today. Owners who bought it keep its features, including Navigate on Autosteer, auto lane changes, Autopark and Smart Summon. We’ve reported that, since January 2026 the app has offered some EAP owners a discounted FSD subscription.

How Much Does Tesla FSD Cost?

Tesla FSD (Supervised) is now subscription-only in North America, with no outright purchase option. Elon Musk said in January that one-time sales would stop after February 14, and we reported the change once it took effect. In Canada the FSD subscription costs $99 per month, while in the U.S. it is also $99 per month, making it a better deal for Canadians when taking the exchange rate into account.

Cancelling takes a tap in the app, and FSD keeps working through the period you’ve paid for, but Tesla doesn’t prorate payments or issue refunds. Time spent at a Tesla service or collision centre may earn an automatic extension. Some older cars need a paid hardware upgrade before FSD will work, and that isn’t included in the subscription.

How Do You Subscribe to FSD?

1. Open the Tesla app and choose your vehicle.
2. Go to Upgrades, then Software Upgrades.
3. Pick Full Self-Driving (Supervised) and confirm the subscription.
4. Install any software update the car asks for.

The touchscreen works too (Controls > Upgrades), or you can add FSD to a new-car order. The subscription has to come from the vehicle owner’s Tesla Account.

Is There a Free FSD Trial?

Yes. Every new Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck comes with 30 days of FSD (Supervised) from delivery. You can also try it on a demo drive.

HW3 vs AI4: What’s the Difference for FSD?

Hardware matters. Older cars with HW3 (also called AI3) still get FSD updates, but they run a slimmed-down build, FSD v14 Lite, derived from the AI4 software. It went wide in July 2026 bringing park and unpark, reversing, Arrival Options and Speed Profiles for city driving. In October, v14.3 Lite started reaching HW3 cars while AI4 cars received v14.3.11.

Intel-based HW3 Model S and Model X cars received v14.3 Lite this month, though early owner reports say Start from Park, Arrival Options, reversing and Actually Smart Summon haven’t shown up. AI4 also has Automatic Collision Evasion, which can step in while you’re driving manually and steer away from a collision at 36 to 137 km/h; HW3 release notes haven’t mentioned it.

Will Tesla Upgrade HW3 Cars?

On the Q1 2026 earnings call, Musk said HW3 can’t reach unsupervised FSD and described an upgrade path for owners who bought FSD. A quarter later, he suggested they could skip AI4 for a newer AI computer, possibly around mid-2027, without committing to a timeline. For now, an upgrade is promised for HW3 owners who paid for FSD, but the timing and hardware remain unannounced. No official HW3-to-AI4 retrofit is offered today.

Older HW2 and HW2.5 cars can move to computer 3.0. It’s free for owners who bought FSD, while subscribers may be eligible for $1,500 plus tax, installed, in about an hour. To see which computer you have, open Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information.

Can You Transfer FSD or Keep It on a Used Tesla?

Tesla’s FSD transfer program wrapped up on March 31, 2026. On a used car, FSD that was bought outright (and never moved to another car) stays with the vehicle, while a previous owner’s subscription doesn’t carry over. When buying a used Tesla, confirm which package is actually on the car rather than relying on the seller’s word.

What Should You Check Before Subscribing?

• Look up your package and AI computer under Controls > Software.
• Remember that new cars come with TACC, not Autosteer.
• Use the 30-day trial on a new delivery before paying.
• Check the app for eligibility and any required paid hardware upgrade.
• Subscribe from the owner’s account, then install the update.
• Cancel ahead of your renewal date to avoid another charge.
• On a used car, ask whether FSD was bought or subscribed.
• On HW3, expect v14 Lite rather than the full AI4 build.
• Stay alert: B.C. police have ticketed a driver for inattention while using FSD.

Track each new release on our software updates hub.

Tesla FSD: FAQ

Is FSD available?

Yes, as a monthly subscription on eligible vehicles. You still have to pay attention; the car isn’t self-driving.

Can I buy FSD outright?

No. Tesla sells it by subscription only; one-time purchases ended in February 2026.

Do new Teslas include Autopilot?

Not since January 2026. They come with TACC and active safety features, without Autosteer.

Can FSD move to my next Tesla?

No. The transfer program closed on March 31, 2026.

Does HW3 get the newest FSD?

It gets v14 Lite, which is distilled from the AI4 model. AI4-only features like Automatic Collision Evasion aren’t included.

Will my HW3 computer be upgraded?

Tesla has promised an upgrade path for owners who bought FSD, but no date or hardware has been announced.

Last updated: October 2026