Turo, a leading car rental service, is set to highlight which Teslas available on its platform come equipped with the advanced driver assistance feature known as Full Self-Driving (Supervised), or FSD. This initiative aims to enhance the adoption of this driving technology.
Turo hosts, who list their vehicles on the platform, will be granted a complimentary one-month trial of the FSD feature. The company is collaborating with Tesla to utilize the automaker’s API for verifying which vehicles have FSD functionality activated.
This announcement follows Tesla’s recent disclosure of increasing numbers of customers opting for the FSD package, which, while capable of performing various driving tasks, still necessitates human oversight.
Recently, Tesla announced that approximately 1.7 million customers worldwide have subscribed to FSD, from a total of over 10 million cars produced and sold so far. The company reported that more than 75% of customers who took delivery of a vehicle in North America during the last quarter opted for an FSD subscription, reflecting a nearly 20% rise from the previous quarter, despite a decline in overall U.S. sales.
Over the past year, Tesla has renovated some of its showrooms to emphasize FSD as a key selling point. In a recent update, CEO Elon Musk affirmed the success of this strategy.
“Customers are now buying FSD along with a vehicle, rather than the reverse,” Musk noted.
“Shoppers now approach us asking about FSD experiences rather than specific models like the 3, Y, or Cybertruck,” stated Tesla’s CFO Vaibhav Taneja during the company’s latest earnings call.
For Turo, incorporating FSD rentals presents an opportunity to enhance the appeal of its already popular vehicles. Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y rank as the third and fourth most rented cars on Turo this year. “This integration boosts revenue opportunities for hosts as demand for autonomous technology rises,” Turo commented.
“This pioneering collaboration with Tesla exemplifies Turo’s efforts to transform the car rental landscape,” proclaimed Turo CEO Andre Haddad. “Many travelers have yet to experience driver-assist technology, but interest is evident—our research indicates that 55% of Americans are curious about autonomous travel, with this figure rising to 71% among Gen Z. Turo’s unique marketplace model is well-suited to bridge the gap between consumer interest and real-world access.”
Renters of FSD-enabled Teslas via Turo will receive advisories reminding them to supervise the FSD software and remain prepared to take control at a moment’s notice. Additionally, drivers will have the option to view a tutorial provided by Tesla.
“When activated, your vehicle can navigate nearly anywhere with your active supervision, requiring only minimal intervention,” a message in the Turo app states.
Vehicle listings will also allow owners to advertise their cars as “Self-Driving,” according to another screenshot shown by Turo.
