Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature represents one of the most significant technological advancements in the auto industry today. It’s designed to make driving safer, easier, and more futuristic, offering drivers a level of convenience that was once only imaginable in sci-fi movies.
While Tesla’s basic Autopilot provides impressive features like lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control, upgrading to Full Self-Driving takes things to a whole new level.
But is upgrading to Full Self-Driving worth it? In this article, we’ll break down the top 7 reasons why upgrading to Full Self-Driving could transform your driving experience and why it’s a valuable investment for the future.
1. Navigate on Autopilot (Highway Driving)
One of the standout features of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving upgrade is Navigate on Autopilot, a feature that makes highway driving much more seamless.
With Navigate on Autopilot, your Tesla can automatically guide itself from on-ramps to off-ramps on highways. The car handles everything from lane changes to freeway exits and even merges onto new highways as needed.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: Long-distance highway driving can be tiring and repetitive, but with Navigate on Autopilot, you no longer need to worry about constantly monitoring for exits or merging into fast-moving lanes. The system takes the stress out of highway driving, allowing you to focus on the journey while your car handles the rest.
Real-Life Example:
“I used to dread long highway trips, but after upgrading to Full Self-Driving, it’s so much easier. I feel much more relaxed knowing my Tesla is handling the tricky parts of the drive, like lane changes and freeway exits,” says Mike, a Model 3 owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot: While Tesla’s basic Autopilot can keep you in your lane and maintain a safe distance from other cars, it doesn’t offer the same level of control as Navigate on Autopilot.
The ability to automatically take exits, merge onto highways, and even navigate around slower vehicles makes Full Self-Driving a significant step up from the standard Autopilot package.
2. Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
Another fantastic feature that comes with the Full Self-Driving upgrade is Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control. This allows your Tesla to automatically detect and react to traffic lights and stop signs. Your car will stop at red lights or stop signs and proceed when it’s safe to do so, without you needing to intervene.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: City driving, especially in congested areas, can be stressful due to frequent stops at lights and signs. With this feature, Tesla makes urban driving easier by handling the most repetitive and tiring part—stopping and starting at every light or stop sign.
This feature reduces the need for constant attention and allows you to relax more behind the wheel.
Real-Life Example:
“Before I upgraded to Full Self-Driving, city driving was always a headache with all the stop-and-go traffic. Now, my Tesla handles it all, from red lights to stop signs, making my commute much smoother,” says Lisa, a Model Y owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot: Basic Autopilot doesn’t have the ability to recognize traffic signals or stop signs. Upgrading to Full Self-Driving provides a much more hands-off experience when driving through cities and residential areas, where stops are frequent.
3. Automatic Lane Changes
One of the most useful features for highway driving is Automatic Lane Changes. This feature allows your Tesla to switch lanes automatically, without you needing to manually engage the turn signal or make the move yourself.
Your car will decide when it’s appropriate to change lanes—whether it’s to avoid slower traffic, to prepare for an exit, or to get into a faster lane.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: Switching lanes, especially on busy highways, can be stressful. FSD’s Automatic Lane Changes take this burden off your shoulders by ensuring the car is in the optimal lane for your journey. It also increases safety by using sensors to detect surrounding vehicles and avoid any potential collisions.
Real-Life Example:
“I used to feel anxious about switching lanes during rush hour, but with Full Self-Driving, the car handles lane changes for me. It’s so smooth and precise—I feel much safer,” says Sarah, a Model S owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot:
While basic Autopilot keeps you centered in your lane, it doesn’t initiate lane changes. With Full Self-Driving, your Tesla not only changes lanes automatically but does so in a way that’s calculated and safe, improving the overall driving experience.
4. Summon Your Tesla from Anywhere (Smart Summon)
One of the most futuristic features of Full Self-Driving is Smart Summon. Imagine being able to summon your car from across a parking lot or have it come to you from a distant parking spot—this is exactly what Smart Summon allows.
Using the Tesla app, you can call your car to your location without being inside it. The car will navigate around obstacles, pedestrians, and other vehicles to safely reach you.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: Smart Summon is perfect for those moments when you don’t want to walk across a large parking lot, especially in bad weather or when your hands are full.
Instead of trekking to your car, simply summon it to you! It’s also great for tight parking situations where it might be hard to get into the car once parked.
Real-Life Example:
“Smart Summon is a feature I never knew I needed until I used it. Now, I don’t have to struggle with getting to my car in crowded parking lots—it comes to me, and it feels like something from the future,” says John, a Model X owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot:
Standard Autopilot doesn’t offer Smart Summon. This feature is exclusive to Full Self-Driving and adds an extra layer of convenience for drivers who frequently find themselves in large or crowded parking lots.
5. Autopark (Hands-Free Parking)
Parking can be one of the most challenging aspects of driving, especially in tight spaces or busy urban areas.
Tesla’s Autopark feature allows your car to park itself—whether it’s parallel parking or perpendicular parking, your Tesla will scan for available spaces and park the car with no input from you.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: For many drivers, parking is a stressful and time-consuming task. Autopark removes that stress by handling the entire process for you, ensuring your car is parked perfectly every time.
This feature is especially helpful for people who live in busy cities where parking spots are limited and parallel parking is often required.
Real-Life Example:
“I used to struggle with parallel parking in my neighborhood, but now my Tesla parks itself perfectly every time. It takes away all the stress of finding a good spot,” says James, a Model Y owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot: Basic Autopilot doesn’t offer Autopark. This hands-free parking feature is one of the major advantages of upgrading to Full Self-Driving, as it adds convenience to your everyday routine, especially in crowded cities or tight parking situations.
6. Safety and Peace of Mind
While Full Self-Driving is primarily marketed for its convenience and futuristic capabilities, one of its most important benefits is the added layer of safety it provides.
FSD uses Tesla’s advanced sensors, cameras, and radar to constantly monitor the road and react to potential hazards faster than a human driver could. Whether it’s automatically braking to avoid a collision or detecting pedestrians crossing the road, FSD adds a significant boost to your car’s safety features.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: Having Full Self-Driving means your car is always “watching” the road, and it can react quickly to prevent accidents. It offers an extra set of eyes on the road, which is invaluable in today’s driving environment where distractions can happen easily.
Knowing your Tesla is actively working to keep you safe provides peace of mind for you and your passengers.
Real-Life Example:
“The safety features of Full Self-Driving have caught things I might have missed, like cars approaching too fast or pedestrians stepping out. It’s like having a co-pilot who’s always on alert,” says Andrew, a Model 3 owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot: While standard Autopilot includes basic safety features like lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control, Full Self-Driving enhances those systems with more advanced monitoring and quicker responses to hazards, making it a better choice for drivers who prioritize safety.
7. Future-Proof Your Tesla
One of the most exciting aspects of upgrading to Full Self-Driving is the fact that you’re future-proofing your car. Tesla’s FSD system is constantly evolving, with new features being added and existing ones improved through over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
This means that when you invest in Full Self-Driving, you’re not just getting the features available today—you’re also getting all the future enhancements that Tesla will roll out.
Why It’s a Game-Changer: Tesla is at the forefront of autonomous driving technology, and upgrading to FSD ensures that your car will remain up-to-date with the latest advancements.
As Tesla moves closer to full autonomy, your car will receive updates that bring it even closer to fully autonomous driving. With each update, your Tesla becomes smarter and more capable, making it an investment in the future of driving.
Real-Life Example:
“Every time Tesla releases a new update, my car feels like it’s been upgraded. I know that with Full Self-Driving, I’m future-proofing my car for even more advanced features down the line,” says Emily, a Model S owner.
How It Compares to Standard Autopilot: Standard Autopilot offers basic features that won’t evolve into full autonomy, while Full Self-Driving is designed to eventually achieve fully autonomous driving.
With FSD, your car will continue to get better over time, keeping it at the cutting edge of automotive technology.
Comparing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving to Standard Autopilot
If you’re still on the fence about upgrading, here’s a quick comparison between Tesla’s standard Autopilot and Full Self-Driving to help you decide which package best fits your needs:
| Feature | Standard Autopilot | Full Self-Driving (FSD) |
|---|---|---|
| Lane-Keeping | Yes | Yes |
| Adaptive Cruise Control | Yes | Yes |
| Navigate on Autopilot | No | Yes |
| Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control | No | Yes |
| Automatic Lane Changes | No | Yes |
| Autopark | No | Yes |
| Smart Summon | No | Yes |
| Safety Monitoring | Basic lane and distance control | Advanced sensors and obstacle detection |
Who Should Upgrade to Full Self-Driving?
Upgrading to Full Self-Driving isn’t for everyone, but there are specific types of drivers who can benefit significantly from the added features:
- Frequent Highway Commuters: If you spend a lot of time on highways, Navigate on Autopilot and Automatic Lane Changes can make your trips smoother and less tiring.
- City Drivers: For those who often drive in urban areas with heavy traffic, Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, along with Autopark, can make city driving more manageable.
- Tech Enthusiasts: If you love being on the cutting edge of technology, upgrading to FSD gives you access to Tesla’s most advanced driving features and future-proofing your car for more updates.
- Safety-Conscious Drivers: Full Self-Driving offers advanced safety features that can help prevent accidents and keep you and your passengers safer on the road.