For years, Tesla owners have been intrigued by the promise of a truly hands-off parking experience, one that goes beyond simply just letting your car park itself when you arrive at the parking lot. Banish, sometimes also known as Banish Autopark or Reverse Summon, was envisioned as the ultimate parking convenience. Your Tesla would drop you off at the entrance to your destination, full chauffeur style, and then leave to find a suitable parking spot nearby. Coupled with Park Seek, your Tesla would drive through a parking lot to locate an open space and then park itself, waiting on standby.
Then, when you were ready, you would be able to Summon it to the entrance, showing up right as you do, for the smoothest autonomous experience. However, despite the initial excitement and focus from Elon back when V12.5 was supposed to include it, we’ve heard very little about Banish. It has remained a relatively elusive feature - and the last time we saw anything on it was all the way back in October 2024, when it was alluded to in some Tesla app code.
So, what happened to Banish?
The Original Promise: A Smarter Way to Park
The concept of Banish was a logical extension of Tesla’s existing Summon and Autopark capabilities. Instead of just parking when a spot is identified by the driver, Banish and Park Seek were meant to give your Tesla more agency. After dropping off the occupants, your Tesla would leverage FSD and its autonomy to:
This functionality was often discussed in conjunction with improvements to Autopark and was highlighted as a step towards Tesla’s vision of a Robotaxi future. Interestingly, while the October 2024 FSD Roadmap mentioned Park, Unpark, and Reverse, it did not mention Banish. The lack of Banish as a milestone in the FSD Roadmaps leaves us to believe that Tesla has put this feature on the back burner while it works on other FSD-related priorities.
Today’s FSD & Autopark: Capable, But Not Quite Banish
Fast forward to Spring 2025, and FSD V13 does exhibit some tendencies in terms of self-parking capabilities. As noted by many on social media, FSD can identify and maneuver into parking spots when arriving at a destination. However, this is generally not the proactive Park Seek envisioned for Banish. The current system requires the driver to be present, even if hands-off. It often identifies spots as it directly approaches them, and its seeking behavior in a larger parking lot is extremely limited.
Users have also observed that while Tesla’s vision-based Autopark is often impressively accurate even on the massive Cybertruck, letting FSD nose-in to a spot can sometimes result in the car being poorly aligned or missing the lines entirely. This suggests that while your Tesla can park itself, the nuanced understanding and precision required for a truly reliable and Unsupervised Banish experience are still under development.
V13’s upcoming features indicate that it is supposed to provide additional support for personal and parking garages and driveways, which haven’t been added in quite yet. In fact, none of V13’s upcoming features have been realized yet - and it has been a while since a proper FSD update has come from Tesla.
The Underlying Tech is Ready
Interestingly, the core AI capabilities required for Banish and Park Seek are detailed extensively in a recently published Tesla Patent covering Autonomous and User Controlled Vehicle Summon to a Target. This patent describes generating an occupancy grid of the parking lot, then conducting path planning to the spot, and making decisions to safely navigate the lot at low speeds while keeping in mind pedestrians and other road users.
This indicates that Tesla has been working on the foundational AI for low-speed maneuvering in tight locations for quite some time. However, the challenge likely lies in achieving the necessary reliability, safety, and real-world robustness across an almost infinite variety of parking lot designs and in dynamic conditions.
What’s Next? Robotaxi.
The impending launch of Tesla’s Robotaxi Network in Austin in June brings the need for Banish-like capabilities into sharp focus. For a fleet of autonomous vehicles to operate efficiently, they must be able to manage their parking autonomously. A Robotaxi will need to drop off its passenger at the entrance to a location and then proceed to either its next pickup or autonomously find a parking or staging spot to await its next ride or even go back to base to charge.
It is plausible that a functional, robust version of Park Seek and Banish is being developed and tested internally as a component for Tesla’s Robotaxi launch and presumably what will be FSD Unsupervised. The initial rollout in Austin may just be the first real-world deployment of this tech from Tesla.
While Banish has yet to launch, the key components are in place and just need to be improved. The issue likely lies in safety, as parking lots account for 1 and 5 accidents that occur in North America.
In all likelihood, Banish isn’t canceled but is being integrated into an FSD Unsupervised and the Robotaxi feature set. That means a public rollout will likely depend on achieving a higher level of safety and confidence before Tesla is willing to let vehicles park themselves autonomously or even while being Supervised through the Tesla app.
For now, you’ll have to keep parking yourself, or letting FSD or Autopark do the job. A convenient curbside drop-off isn’t in the cards yet, but given the necessity for Robotaxi, it’ll need to arrive eventually.
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Tesla has introduced a new, more flexible and affordable way for owners to get peace of mind after their factory warranty ends. This new service is a monthly subscription that replaces the previous Extended Service Agreement (ESA) in the United States.
The new subscription model makes it more appealing to owners, as it avoids a large upfront payment. This new subscription also offers better coverage terms than before.
Longer Coverage, Better Flexibility
The biggest upgrade in this new format of the ESA is the length of the coverage. The old prepaid ESA was limited to just two years or 25,000 miles beyond the factory warranty, for a total of up to 75,000 miles.
The new monthly program doubles the potential coverage period, offering protection for up to four additional years beyond the factory warranty, or until the vehicle reaches 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Coming from a basic vehicle warranty of 4 years or 50,000 miles, this is a huge jump up in customer protection.
Pricing & Deductible
The monthly price is simple, but it varies depending on the model. The Model 3 is the most affordable at just $50 per month, while the Model X is the most expensive at $150 per month.
Model 3: $50 / month
Model Y: $60 / month
Model S: $125 / month
Model X: $150 / month
However, Tesla will also charge a $100 deductible for each service visit that covers an included repair, on top of the monthly subscription fee.
Exclusions
The ESA is an exclusionary warranty, meaning it covers the repair or replacement needed to correct a failure of most parts manufactured or supplied by Tesla. However, there are some parts not covered under the ESA, which include:
Issues arising from accidents, modifications, or environmental damage
Essentially, the ESA is designed to cover the components other than the drivetrain. That includes the touchscreen, computers, heat pumps, suspension, or other non-drivetrain electronics that aren’t covered after the 4-year basic warranty.
Tesla vehicles come with an extensive battery and drivetrain warranty that covers these items for up to 8 years. The maximum mileage varies by model. RWD Model 3 and Model Ys are covered for the first 100k miles, while Long Range Model 3s and Ys are covered up to 120k miles. The Model S and Model X are covered for up to 150,000 miles or 8 years.
Eligibility and Sign-Up
Eligibility for the new ESA subscription is pretty clear-cut.
Your vehicle must be within its 4-year / 50,000-mile Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty. Tesla will send customers whose basic warranty is about to expire a notification approximately 3 months before the time-based expiry.
The subscription is not available for leased vehicles or vehicles that were purchased used. Tesla plans to offer eligibility to customers who purchase their vehicle at the end of a lease by the end of 2025, and for used vehicle customers in the near future.
The Cybertruck, due to its relatively newness to the market, doesn’t have access to the ESA quite yet - but it will be coming “in the near future.” For Canada and Mexico in particular, the ESA is not yet available, but Tesla has confirmed plans to bring this subscription to other regions soon.
Subscribing is done through the Tesla App. Tap Upgrades> Service Plans > Extended Service Agreement. Once you review the terms and the monthly fee, you can then hit Subscribe and confirm your payment information.
If the ESA is not visible, your vehicle is not eligible for the subscription.
Payments for the ESA only begin once your original warranty has expired. However, you can sign up at any time, and payments will automatically start when your factory warranty expires.
Other Service Plans
Tesla also offers a Windshield Protection Plan and a Wheel and Tire Protection Plan, if you didn’t already know. Both of these plans are subscription-based and are currently only available in the United States. However, Tesla has indicated that it plans to expand to other regions in the near future.
Tesla is officially opening up its long-anticipated Robotaxi service — but only for a select, invite-only group. Invitations have gone out to influencers to experience the first autonomous rides this Sunday, June 22, in Austin. Dubbed an “early access” program, this marks the official launch of Tesla’s Robotaxi service and the new Robotaxi app.
Invitation Details
Tesla is taking a cautious approach to its initial rollout. Only invited users — largely influencers and carefully selected individuals — will get to hail a ride using the new Robotaxi app. These early testers will be among the first to experience what Tesla describes as a fully autonomous ride, although not entirely without human oversight.
The invitations were sent out early this morning and offered plenty of new details about the Robotaxi service, the app and ride restrictions.
Human Safety Monitors
Elon Musk previously stated that there would be “no occupant in the driver seat,” and while that’s technically accurate, it’s not exactly what we expected. These Robotaxi rides will have a Tesla employee seated in the front passenger seat. This “safety monitor” will oversee the ride but not intervene unless necessary.
Interestingly, the documents shared with influencers indicate that these safety monitors will be subject to the same restrictions as Tesla owners with FSD Supervised. The cabin camera will monitor their gaze to make sure they’re paying attention and presumably warn them if they stare off to the side for too long.
Teleoperators
While there will be safety monitors in the vehicle, there are also expected to be teleoperators. Although Tesla doesn’t explicitly mention teleoperators, it does note that the cabin camera will only be used in the event of a support request or if “operator assistance” is required in an emergency.
Teleoperators aren’t a surprise at all, as all autonomous vehicles use them today when a vehicle needs help. While in the case of a Model Y, it’s possible for the safety monitor to take over the vehicle, Tesla is preparing for the future when there won’t be a safety monitor in the vehicle and the vehicle doesn’t have a steering wheel like the Cybercab.
Cabin Camera and Mic: Off By Default
Passenger privacy appears to be a priority. Tesla confirms that the cabin camera and microphone will be off by default during the ride. These features will only activate if the rider opts in, requests assistance, or in the case of an emergency. This appears to contradict what Tesla mentions about the cabin camera monitoring the safety driver, but it’s possible Tesla means that these features will be off by default when there isn’t a safety monitor in the vehicle.
Tesla says that after the ride, the camera may be temporarily activated to check for cleanliness or forgotten items before the vehicle continues to its next destination.
Will React to Emergency Vehicles
While we know that these vehicles will be equipped with a newer version of FSD, it’s not yet clear exactly which version it's. However, it appears that this version will now feature sound detection, allowing it to detect and react to emergency vehicles.
Tesla says the vehicles will use the vehicle’s microphone to recognize sirens or other road alerts. If a safety event is detected, the vehicle will reduce media volume and notify users on screen.
Like Tesla’s vision processing, all audio is processed in the vehicle and not transmitted unless explicitly enabled by the rider.
Recording and Sharing Encouraged
Tesla is allowing invited guests to bring one additional guest with them to experience the Robotaxi network. Tesla will be allowing the recording and sharing of photos and videos, so we should have plenty of new details on the Robotaxi soon.
Tesla is also asking users to rate their experience via the Robotaxi app, likely trying to identify any trouble points.
Restrictions for Robotaxi Rides
Tesla’s Robotaxi service will operate within a geofenced area of Austin and will be available between 6:00 AM and 12:00 AM. So, essentially, there are only six hours when Robotaxis won’t be available. Tesla states that users will be able to see the geofence area within the app; however, we currently don’t know the size of this area.
Airport rides are not allowed, presumably due to more complicated scenarios. Tesla also states that the Robotaxi service can be paused at any point due to inclement weather; however, the forecast for Austin over the next week is clear and sunny, so this is unlikely to be an issue.
Pricing and Fees
Tesla’s agreement states that all rides will be priced in U.S. dollars and may include tolls, airport fees, and other regulatory charges. It’s not clear whether invited guests will need to pay for rides, but since Tesla is mentioning prices and doesn’t explicitly state that these rides are free, they’ll likely have to.
We may soon find out what Tesla will charge for Robotaxi rides and compare it to other services, such as Uber and Lyft. However, like all other Tesla pricing, these will likely change over time as well.
Tesla reserves the right to charge users for damages or litter left in the vehicle, according to documents shared with influencers.
Robotaxi App, Not the Tesla App
One of the more surprising revelations is that Tesla is not using the Tesla app for this service. Instead, riders will be required to download a new Robotaxi app. While code related to Robotaxi features has been found in Tesla’s main app, it now appears that the Robotaxi app will serve ride-hailing passengers.
The Robotaxi details we’ve seen in the Tesla app may be for future support when owners start adding their vehicles to the Robotaxi fleet. This way, an owner can open up the Tesla app and know the status of their vehicle.
The Robotaxi app won’t be publicly available on the App Store yet. Instead, invitees will receive a separate download invitation, likely through a service like TestFlight, which allows users to test unreleased apps. Tesla emphasizes that only the original invitee can download and use the app, but hopefully, we’ll have our first look at the Robotaxi app soon.
What’s Next
While this represents a soft launch for Tesla’s Robotaxi service, it offers our first glimpse at what the service will be like in terms of restrictions, geo-fenced areas, price, and, of course, a look at the Robotaxi app. Like all things Tesla, they’ll iterate and improve the app, service, and process over time.
We should have a lot more details and the first ride-along videos soon.
