Car rental platform Turo will begin identifying which Tesla vehicles on its marketplace come equipped with the automaker's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system, marking a collaboration designed to expand use of the advanced driver assistance software. The partnership, announced October 26, 2024, will also offer qualifying Turo hosts who list their vehicles a complimentary one-month trial of FSD. Turo said it's collaborating with Tesla to tap directly into the company's API to confirm which cars have the feature activated.
The announcement follows Tesla's recent disclosure that roughly 1.7 million customers have purchased FSD worldwide out of more than 10 million vehicles manufactured and sold. The automaker reported that over 75% of customers taking delivery of a vehicle in North America during the third quarter paid for an FSD subscription, representing approximately a 20% jump from the second quarter, though U.S. sales have been declining. Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y rank as the third- and fourth-most rented vehicles on Turo's platform this year.
According to Turo CEO Andre Haddad, "Most travelers have had limited opportunity to experience driver's assistance technology, but the demand is clear." The company's research indicates that 55% of Americans express interest in driverless technology for travel, climbing to 71% among Gen Z. Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated last week that the company's push is succeeding, writing that "People are buying FSD with a car attached, not the other way around." Tesla's finance chief Vaibhav Taneja added on the earnings call that customers now ask specifically for an FSD test drive rather than requesting particular models like the Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck.
For Turo, the initiative capitalizes on existing demand for its Tesla inventory while opening new revenue streams for hosts as curiosity about self-driving technology grows, the company said. Tesla has devoted much of the past year to redesigning some showrooms to emphasize FSD as a primary selling point. Renters who book an FSD-equipped Tesla through Turo will encounter warning language requiring them to watch the software and be prepared to intervene immediately. They'll also have access to a Tesla-produced tutorial. The app informs users that when activated, the vehicle will navigate nearly any route with active supervision and minimal intervention, while listing pages allow owners to market their cars as "Self-Driving."
The partnership gives Tesla a new channel to demonstrate FSD to potential buyers who might not otherwise test the technology, potentially converting renters into purchasers while validating the company's software-first sales strategy. Turo described the integration as an industry-first that redefines car rental and access, positioning its marketplace model as uniquely suited to bridge the divide between consumer curiosity and hands-on experience. The arrangement addresses a core challenge for advanced driver assistance systems: getting skeptical buyers behind the wheel long enough to appreciate the value proposition. As rental exposure grows and more customers encounter the technology during trips rather than dealership visits, the traditional test-drive model may face pressure to evolve beyond brief showroom demonstrations.