Tesla says its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software is gaining momentum, positioning autonomous driving subscriptions as a central pillar of the company’s future—despite ongoing regulatory and legal scrutiny.
In its latest earnings update, Tesla disclosed that it ended 2025 with 1.1 million active FSD subscribers, a milestone that underscores how critical software revenue has become to the automaker’s long-term strategy.
FSD Subscriptions Show Rapid Growth in 2025
Tesla revealed that its paid Full Self-Driving subscription base grew 38% year over year, rising from roughly 800,000 subscribers in late 2024 to 1.1 million by the end of 2025. This marks the first time Tesla has publicly shared a concrete subscriber figure for FSD.
The company currently charges $99 per month for the service, having discontinued the one-time purchase option. Tesla executives have framed the subscription model as more scalable and better aligned with the company’s vision of autonomous transportation.
The disclosure also highlights progress toward one of CEO Elon Musk’s long-term performance targets: selling 10 million FSD subscriptions, a goal tied to his compensation plan.
Autonomy Is Becoming More Important Than Vehicle Sales
Tesla increasingly presents itself as an AI, robotics, and autonomy company, rather than a traditional automaker. On the earnings call, executives emphasized that recurring software revenue could eventually outweigh profits from vehicle sales.
Compared with competitors, Tesla’s reported subscriber count stands out. The figure suggests Tesla has nearly twice as many hands-free driving subscribers as General Motors, whose Super Cruise system operates on mapped highways only. By contrast, Tesla’s FSD software is designed to function on both highways and city streets.
According to Tesla leadership, this broader operating domain is a key differentiator and a foundation for future mobility services.
FSD Software Plays a Role in Tesla’s Robotaxi Plans
Tesla confirmed that a version of its FSD software is already being used in its Robotaxi pilot service, which recently began operating without human safety drivers in Austin.
Elon Musk said the company expects to expand the Robotaxi service to additional U.S. cities in 2026, including Dallas, Phoenix, and Miami. Tesla has not clarified whether vehicles in its own Robotaxi fleet are included in the reported subscription total.
Company executives stressed that autonomy could unlock new business models, shifting Tesla toward transportation-as-a-service rather than relying solely on private vehicle ownership.
Safety, Regulation, and Legal Challenges Persist
Despite Tesla’s confidence, FSD remains controversial. The technology continues to face regulatory investigations, lawsuits, and public criticism related to safety and marketing claims.
In late 2025, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, following dozens of reported crashes and traffic violations. Separately, a California judge ruled that Tesla had engaged in deceptive marketing, overstating the capabilities of FSD and Autopilot over several years.
In response, Tesla recently removed the “Autopilot” name from its standard driver-assistance features, though legal cases tied to FSD are still ongoing.
Tesla Remains Bullish on an Autonomous Future
Even with mounting scrutiny, Tesla executives showed no signs of retreat. Company leadership reiterated that autonomy—not new vehicle models—will define Tesla’s next phase of growth.
Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja described the coming years as a fundamental reset for the company, saying Tesla is entering “a new book” rather than a new chapter in its evolution.
For Tesla, the rise in FSD subscriptions is more than a metric—it is evidence that the company believes drivers are willing to pay for autonomy today, even as the debate over safety and readiness continues.
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