Tesla Partners with Turo to Expand Full Self-Driving Trial Access

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Tesla and car-sharing platform Turo collaborate to promote Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology by highlighting FSD-equipped vehicles and offering hosts a free one-month FSD trial, aiming to increase adoption amid growing customer interest.

Tesla has partnered with car rental marketplace Turo to boost the adoption of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, a supervised advanced driver assistance system. Through this collaboration, Turo will identify and advertise vehicles equipped with Tesla's FSD on its platform, making it easier for renters to experience the technology firsthand. Eligible Turo hosts — vehicle owners who rent out their cars — will also receive a complimentary one-month trial of Tesla's FSD software.

This arrangement involves direct integration with Tesla's API, allowing Turo to verify which vehicles have FSD enabled, ensuring accuracy in listings that promote the feature.

Tesla recently reported that approximately 1.7 million customers worldwide have purchased FSD, a notable figure given that more than 10 million Tesla vehicles have been built and sold so far. In North America, over 75% of customers who took delivery of a Tesla vehicle in the third quarter opted for an FSD subscription—marking a 20% increase compared to the previous quarter despite a general decline in U.S. sales.

Tesla has been strategically emphasizing FSD as a key selling point, redesigning showrooms accordingly. CEO Elon Musk noted a shift in consumer behavior, stating that buyers are now primarily seeking the FSD feature attached to a vehicle, rather than choosing a vehicle independent of the software. Tesla's CFO, Vaibhav Taneja, confirmed this trend during the company's recent earnings call.

From Turo's perspective, integrating FSD rentals provides an opportunity to enhance the appeal of some of its most popular vehicles—the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y ranked third and fourth in popularity on the platform this year. Turo highlighted that this partnership could increase earnings potential for hosts as interest in autonomous driving technology grows.

Turo CEO Andre Haddad emphasized the unique nature of this collaboration, stating that it bridges consumer curiosity about driverless technology with practical, hands-on experience. Turo's own research shows that 55% of Americans are interested in driverless tech for travel, rising to 71% among Gen Z.

Renters of FSD-equipped Teslas through Turo will encounter cautionary notices reminding them to supervise the vehicle actively and remain prepared to take control when necessary. Additionally, they can view an instructional tutorial provided by Tesla.

This collaboration represents the first of its kind in the industry, aiming to demystify autonomous driving technology and expand its accessibility through mainstream rental markets.