Good Friday, TSLA faithful. Aimee Joiner here, cutting through the noise with your daily dose of everything electric, autonomous, and occasionally, extraterrestrial.

India's FSD Pivot: Subscription Model Incoming

Tesla's strategy for Full Self-Driving (FSD) in India is undergoing a significant shift. The company has removed the one-time purchase option for FSD from its India website, now stating "subscription coming soon" ACKO Drive. This move comes just before Tesla's first anniversary in the Indian market, where FSD was initially offered as a ₹6 lakh add-on with new Model Y purchases ACKO Drive. While FSD is not yet usable in India, Tesla's VP of AI Software, Ashok Elluswamy, reportedly indicated in June that India is now designated "pending regulatory approval," suggesting active engagement with government authorities ACKO Drive.

The transition to a subscription model mirrors a global trend for Tesla, which phased out outright FSD purchases in the US in January, with other markets following suit ACKO Drive. In the US, the FSD subscription costs $99 per month, or approximately ₹9,436, compared to the previous one-time purchase price of $8,000, or roughly ₹7,62,520 ACKO Drive. This shift provides Tesla with a more predictable, recurring revenue stream and ties the service to a user account rather than the vehicle itself, a key change given past issues with FSD not transferring to new owners ACKO Drive.

Robotaxi Race: Miami Launch Meets Regulatory Headwinds

Tesla's robotaxi ambitions are simultaneously advancing and encountering new obstacles. The company launched unsupervised robotaxi service in Miami last week, marking its first such operation in Florida CleanTechnica. These vehicles are reportedly operating within a geofenced area of 10 to 14 square miles, though the exact number of deployed cars remains undisclosed CleanTechnica. This expansion into a new state is a clear sign of progress, yet it stands in contrast to Elon Musk's July earnings call prediction last year that Tesla would have autonomous ride-hailing in "about half the population of the US by the end of the year" Gizmodo.

However, regulatory hurdles are mounting. New Jersey is considering a bill that would mandate fully autonomous vehicles to be equipped with cameras and two additional types of sensors, such as radar and LiDAR Gizmodo. This directly challenges Tesla's camera-only "vision" approach, which Elon Musk famously dismissed as a "fool's errand" in March 2025 Gizmodo. If passed, this bill could effectively ban Tesla's robotaxis from operating in the state, potentially making New York, which is considering similar legislation, another restricted market Gizmodo. Meanwhile, competitors like Waymo are rapidly expanding, operating over 3,000 robotaxis across 11 cities and recently adding San Diego, Tampa, Las Vegas, and Denver to their service areas Gizmodo, Los Angeles Times.

The Anti-Musk Investment Trend & Q2 EV Market Rebound

Elon Musk's polarizing public persona continues to influence investment trends, with the launch of two new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) designed to specifically exclude companies he founded or manages Zamin.uz. Subversive Capital introduced the Nasdaq-100 Ex-Elon Enterprises ETF (QQNE) and the S&P 500 Ex-Elon Enterprises ETF (SPNE), targeting investors who wish to avoid indirectly supporting Musk's businesses due to his political views and social media activities Zamin.uz. This is a notable development, especially since Tesla is a component of the S&P 500 and SpaceX recently joined the Nasdaq 100 Zamin.uz.

On a broader industry note, the US electric vehicle market experienced a significant rebound in the second quarter of 2026, following a "brutal slump" triggered by the end of federal incentives Business Insider. US EV sales climbed to 247,226 vehicles in Q2, up from approximately 216,000 in Q1, marking the first sequential improvement since last year Business Insider. This resurgence is largely attributed to surging gas prices, which reached over $5 per gallon earlier this year, making EV ownership more economically attractive Business Insider. Tesla, alongside other EV players that maintained their electric focus, likely benefited from this renewed market momentum, while some traditional automakers saw their EV sales fall significantly Business Insider.

Market Watch

TSLA is currently trading at $409.73, up 0.78% today as markets remain open [Yahoo Finance (implied by provided data)]. The stock closed Friday at $409.73, registering a 0.78% gain from its prior day's close [Yahoo Finance (implied by provided data)]. This positive movement comes amidst a mixed bag of news for the company, from FSD developments to increasing regulatory scrutiny on its autonomous driving technology. The launch of the new "Ex-Elon" ETFs (QQNE, SPNE) by Subversive Capital introduces a novel element to the investment landscape, offering a direct avenue for investors to divest from Musk-affiliated companies Zamin.uz. While analyst sentiment isn't explicitly detailed for these new funds, their existence underscores a growing segment of the market reacting to leadership perception, which could introduce new volatility or investor segmentation for TSLA.