Tesla pulled the “full self-driving” option—here’s what customers think

Enlarge / Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (credit: Yuriko Nakao/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Over the last two years, Tesla has been charging customers $3,000 to $5,000 for an upgrade called “full self-driving.”

“All you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go,” Tesla’s order page said. “Your Tesla will figure out the optimal route, navigate urban streets (even without lane markings), manage complex intersections with traffic lights, stop signs and roundabouts, and handle densely packed freeways with cars moving at high speed.”

Last week, Tesla abruptly dropped the option from the order page. It was a tacit admission that the technology was not close to being released. But it’s been obvious for months that Tesla has been struggling to deliver on its self-driving promises.