Buying a $29,990 Cybercab for personal use also means signing up for Tesla’s $299-per-month Autonomy Subscription. It isn’t optional. According to Tesla’s Autonomy Subscription Agreement, “your Cybercab will not operate without an active Autonomy Subscription.”
So what does that $299 get you? A lot more than just self-driving.
What’s Included
The core of the subscription is what Tesla calls Cybercab Technology: the software that lets the Cybercab drive itself within Tesla’s active Robotaxi service areas. On top of that, it includes:
Vehicle connectivity, including Premium Connectivity features like live traffic and media streaming.
Remote support.
Roadside assistance, including towing to a Tesla service center or your home within about 50 miles.
Tire inspections, rotations, replacements, and flat tire replacements.
Windshield replacement and cleaning, plus water-repellent coating.
Wiper blade replacement and cleaning, and washer fluid refills.
Cabin air filter replacements.
Exterior camera lens cleaning, and cleaning film buildup off the inside of the forward-facing camera.
Regular vehicle inspections.
Tesla will let you know in the app when your Cybercab needs one of these services. When it’s time for your appointment, the Cybercab drives itself, unoccupied, to a Tesla service center and comes back when the work is done.
What’s Not Included
Insurance isn’t included, despite Tesla Insurance existing. You’re also responsible for registration, parking, charging, and general cleaning. Other repairs aren’t covered by the subscription, though some may fall under the vehicle warranty, and Tesla may bill you for damage caused by misuse.
How Does $299 Compare?
Many of these perks are available as separate subscriptions for Tesla’s consumer models. For a Model Y, FSD (Supervised) costs $99 a month and Premium Connectivity costs $9.99. The Wheel and Tire Protection Plan runs $16, and the Windshield Protection Plan adds $12. That totals about $137 a month, and it still doesn’t include roadside assistance, tire rotations, or wiper replacements.
Musk already thinks $299 is too much. He recently said the price should drop to around $115 a month, roughly matching what FSD and Premium Connectivity cost on Tesla’s other vehicles. If that happens, Cybercab owners would get more for less than a Model Y owner pays for the same group of subscriptions. In the subscription agreement, Tesla reserves the right to change the subscription price with one month’s notice.
Does It Count Toward Musk’s FSD Goal?
One open question is whether Autonomy subscriptions count toward the 10 million active FSD subscriptions milestone in Musk’s trillion-dollar pay package. Since the subscription includes unsupervised self-driving, it stands to reason that they would, but Tesla hasn’t confirmed it. We know the milestone matters to Musk, with sources recently telling us he personally decided to remove Basic Autopilot from new vehicles to boost FSD subscriptions.
With the first Cybercab deliveries expected next month, we’ll soon learn more about the Autonomy subscription that’s required to operate one.
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