Even though each Tesla car comes with a standard “Autopilot System,” Tesla owners can now pay an extra $6,000 for the “Enhanced Autopilot” feature. But the question is ” Is enhanced autopilot worth it?“
Yes, primarily it is. However, it is better to go through the features and benefits of Tesla’s “Enhanced Autopilot” and compare them with its basic “Autopilot.” So that you can evaluate if the upgrade is necessary and justify the extra money you must pay.
Quick Glance:
- Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) is packed with five key features, including “Navigate on Autopilot,” “Auto Lane Change,” “Autopark,” “Summon,” and “Smart Summon.”
- As of July 2023, Tesla has offered an attractive “Refer and Earn” package. This offers a $750 discount on new Model 3 and Y purchase prices with a 3-month free trial of its “Enhanced Autopilot” when people use the referral link from an existing Tesla owner.
- According to a recent user survey, 80% of Tesla owners did not think the Tesla Enhanced Autopilot was worth it, while only 20% thought it was.
What Is Tesla Enhanced Autopilot?
An upgraded version that includes all the features of basic Autopilot and offers some additional advanced features to enhance your Autopilot experience.
It utilizes a set of sensors, cameras, artificial intelligence, and algorithms to enable features like Auto Lane Change, Smart Summon, and Autopark.
The Enhanced Autopilot system makes use of Tesla’s over-the-air updates, which means that your car will continue to receive software updates and new features even after the purchase.
The Features of Tesla Enhanced Autopilot
1. Basic Summon:
This allows you to move your car in and out of a tight parking space while you are not inside your car.
You can use the Mobile App to direct or command your car to go up to 12 meters (approx. 39 feet) forward or reverse.
2. Auto Park:
When the driver approaches an available parking spot, this feature alerts the car.
Soon, the Auto Park indicator will pop up on the touchscreen and as the driver clicks the button, it will enable the car to park parallel or perpendicular.
3. Auto Lane Change:
When Autosteer (turn signal) is engaged, this assists the driver in switching to the neighboring lane on the highway.
4. Smart Summon:
This will allow you to call your car to find you when you’re within up to 65 meters (213 feet) range.
This feature will use your voice-commanded location or phone’s GPS as a target destination. Your vehicle will navigate through more complex environments and necessary objects to find you.
5. Navigate on Autopilot:
This guides the car to make automatic lane changes and overtake vehicles on the road to keep the right pace with the set speed. It can lead your Tesla to enter or leave freeways and handle freeway directional changes.
Tesla Enhanced Autopilot vs Basic Autopilot: The Comparison:
The standard or basic “Autopilot” system is included in all Tesla electric vehicles by default. This offers advanced driver assistance features that provide substantial assistance in steering, braking, and accelerating.
Tesla’s standard Autopilot system has three basic features to assist the driver:
- Automated Cruise Control (ACC) or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC): This adapts to traffic flow to maintain a safe and steady speed. It also removes the need for frequent manual adjustments and lets you focus more on the road.
- Autosteer (BETA Version): This allows your car to automatically steer, accelerate, and brake within designated lanes. Tesla’s Autopilot collects and analyzes data from multiple cameras, sensors, and radar systems. So that it can detect and respond to dynamic traffic conditions in real time. Also effectively reduces driver fatigue during long highway journeys.
- Navigate on Autopilot (BETA Feature): The system uses ultrasonic sensors, radars, and cameras when the driver activates the turn signal. Then the system analyzes the surrounding traffic and safely maneuvers into adjacent lanes.
On the other hand, Tesla’s “Enhanced Autopilot or EAP” feature offers an additional five features along with these basic “Autopilot” features. Such as the basic Summon, Auto Park, Auto Lane Change, Smart Summon, and Navigate on Autopilot.
Tesla’s basic Autopilot provides driver assistance, where the driver is still expected to remain fully engaged and responsible for the vehicle’s operation.
However, the Enhanced Autopilot offers a higher level of autonomy and allows the vehicle to perform certain tasks without driver intervention.
For example, when changing lanes with basic Autopilot, it will disengage the autopilot while changing the lanes. But the Enhanced Auto Lane will confirm that there’s no traffic around you during the process and change the lanes without disengaging the Autopilot.
Furthermore, if you consider the cost point of view, there’s no extra expense involved in acquiring the standard Autopilot feature since it comes as a standard feature with the car. But whether you get the EAP feature during the purchase or afterward, you must pay an extra $6,000 for that upgrade.
Is Enhanced Autopilot Worth It?
Whether it’s worth enough or not depends on various factors, including your personal driving preferences, needs, and affordability or budget status.
For instance, does your driving style need you to often commute large miles on highways or traverse complex urban surroundings? If this is the case, Tesla Enhanced Autopilot will be more useful in improving your driving experience.
However, reports also claim that all features of Enhanced Autopilot do not work on all Tesla Models. Even numerous users claim to experience issues while navigating these features.
That means it will be a huge waste of money for those whose cars are not compatible with this advanced feature.
In short, spending such a large sum for a software or feature upgrade is not sensible for most people unless their driving requires the upgrade.
Especially when there are alternatives like:
- The basic Autopilot comes free of cost with every Tesla.
- Full-self Drive (FSD) Capability, which is available at $199 per month subscription plan and
- Acceleration boost feature at $2,000.
Related Post: Can You Add Tesla Enhanced Autopilot Later on Your Tesla?
Tesla Enhanced Autopilot (EAP): Users Experience
There has been a mixed reaction with many acknowledging the value of Tesla’s EAP, while others are skeptical that it is genuinely worth it.
It seems like “Auto Lane changing” and “Navigate on Autopilot” are the most liked features from Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot among users. Tesla users have also reported that the lane-keeping functionality helps during heavy traffic, as the system actively manages acceleration, deceleration, and steering.
Based on the user experiences and feedback from several online forums, including EVehiclePro, r/TeslaModelY, and EVs Guy, it appears majority of the Tesla owners are not convinced with the fact that the amount Tesla is charging to get this feature is justified.
Some users even reported that some features like Smart Summon, Auto Park, or Auto Lane change do not work as they’re supposed to.
Especially with its “Summon” or “Smart Summon” option, users claimed that the feature itself is not bad, but there must be something wrong with its configuration.
Users have mentioned the following issues they experienced while navigating this feature:
- It does work, but not all the time, and mostly in a few specific situations.
- It might be overly cautious at times, and it can take too long to act after receiving a summoning command.
Unfortunately, some even mentioned that the Auto Park, Summon, and Smart Summon features were not available to them because the Ultrasonic sensors feature was not available in their Tesla Model.
Related Post: Tesla Autopilot Not Working: A Few Possible Reasons and Quick Fixes
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Does Tesla’s enhanced autopilot eliminate the need for drivers?
No. It is designed to provide advanced driver-assistance features so that it can enhance overall safety and convenience. Drivers should remain alert and ready to take control of the car if necessary.
Is Tesla’s enhanced autopilot software regularly updated and improved?
Yes. Tesla provides regular software updates to improve the capabilities of its autopilot systems. These updates include new features, performance enhancements, and fixes for any bugs that have been detected.
Can you return a Tesla upgrade like Enhanced Autopilot?
Yes. If you have purchased the upgrade from your Tesla Mobile App, you can request a refund and return it. But you have to request within 48 hours after the purchase.
