Tesla's Autopilot just got a lot more expensive without getting any better

As if Tesla's Autopilot system wasn't expensive enough, the automaker just tacked an additional 20 percent to the price tag ... without adding any additional sensors or features.

When Tesla originally released Autopilot last October, it was apart of a $2,500 package. Now, that package has been bumped up to $3,000 at the time of vehicle purchase. What's more, Tesla pushed the price to $3,500 for Model S and Model X owners who opt to have the system activated after purchase.

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The quiet Autopilot price hike corresponded with the announcement of a new, higher-priced 100kWh battery pack option for the Model S and Model X vehicles.

Turns out, the price jump come doesn't come with an improvement in sensors or functionality. A Tesla representative told Electrek that the $500 increase was added to "better reflect the value of the product."

This is specious reasoning at best. Likely, it's just another way to pull in a few more bucks leading up to the launch of Model 3 production next year. Really, though, with prices of the new Model S P100D starting at $134,500, it's probable that buyers won't know about or flinch at the additional Autopilot cost.