TechCrunch Industry News Tesla discontinues Autopilot in bid to boost adoption of its FSD software; plus, GM will end Chevy Bolt EV production next year
Jan 23, 2026
Tesla drops the Autopilot name and pivots customers toward paid Full Self-Driving subscriptions, amid regulatory scrutiny in California. Pricing strategy shifts from a one-time fee to subscription plans. General Motors will wind down Chevy Bolt EV production and reshuffle factories as tariffs and tax-credit changes reshape EV manufacturing.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Autopilot Name Removed To Push FSD
- Tesla dropped the Autopilot name to push customers toward its paid Full Self-Driving (FSD) product.
- The move reflects regulatory pressure over deceptive marketing and a strategy to boost FSD adoption.
FSD Shifts From One-Time Fee To Subscription
- Tesla will stop the $8,000 one-time FSD purchase and switch to subscription-only access after February 14th.
- Elon Musk expects subscription prices to rise as FSD capabilities improve and fleet features expand.
Robo-Taxis And Claims Of Unsupervised Driving
- Elon Musk claims newer Teslas will be capable of unsupervised driving, enabling passengers to be on their phones or sleeping.
- Tesla deployed robo-taxi Model Ys in Austin running advanced software still monitored by supervisory vehicles.