Tesla Full Self-Driving Becomes Main Pillar of New Referral Program
The revised program offers one month of FSD (Supervised) per successful referral, with a limit of 12 uses per year.
Tesla has launched a revised Referral Program that shifts the primary incentive from vehicle purchases to Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscriptions, effective October 29.
What Happened
The new program replaces the previous model, where referrers received $250 in Tesla Credit for referring buyers of new vehicles. Under the updated structure, if a Tesla owner currently on an FSD trial uses a referral code to subscribe to Full Self-Driving, the person who shared the link receives one month of FSD (Supervised). Each owner’s referral code can be utilized up to 12 times per year, with the counter resetting on January 1. This structure allows an owner to potentially earn a full year of FSD for free if their code is used by 12 distinct owners during the annual period.
Why It Matters
The shift lowers the barrier to entry for earning rewards, as subscribing to FSD is a smaller financial commitment than purchasing a vehicle. While the previous program offered tangible credits for services and merchandise, the new iteration is designed to be more attainable for users without a massive online presence or a large network of vehicle buyers. Additionally, the focus on FSD subscriptions aligns with recent trends; during Q3, 75 percent of deliveries included an FSD subscription. By incentivizing these subscriptions, Tesla not only drives adoption of its autonomy suite but also generates additional data, which is instrumental for the ongoing development and improvement of the Full Self-Driving software.
The Bottom Line
Tesla’s revised Referral Program prioritizes Full Self-Driving subscriptions over vehicle sales, offering one month of FSD per successful referral up to a yearly cap of 12, aiming to boost subscription volume and data collection.
