Tesla’s Autopilot Software Update Going Live For Select Model S Drivers

Tesla’s latest move towards autonomous electric vehicles has now gone live with its new Autopilot software update, which adds highway autosteer and parallel autopark for the first time. However, at this point, the update is only being sent out to a select group of Model S drivers. Although the new options don’t make the cars drive themselves, they do take a few more controls away from the human behind the wheel.

The innovative company’s new Autopilot software does certain things that other high-tech cars can also do, such as attempting to keep the car in its lane and keeping a set distance between the Model S and the car in front of it by braking and accelerating. Some of this functionality is known as the Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC), which was initially sent out in January. The current version is Autopilot 7.0.

Earlier this year, Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, promised these features as part of a summer update, and although the company has missed that deadline, it is now about to roll out. Tesla has been testing the software for several months on long drives, including from its Silicon Valley headquarters to Seattle. Reports indicate that the software effectively keeps the car in its lane and adjusts its speed safely to allow for the movements of other vehicles. Back in March, Musk explained that the system relies on ultrasonic sensors that cover the area around the car to a distance of approximately 5 meters, as well as a forward camera and radar.

Tesla’s outspoken CEO has made it clear that the company isn’t ready to let its cars take over all of the driving control just yet. For example, to engage the autopassing function, drivers need to manually use the turn signal. However, Musk has said that as the technology continues to evolve, the cars will be able to learn from each other and subsequently offer more features. He hasn’t provided any details about how this would work, but Tesla is known for keeping these types of beta technologies secret.

Musk has stated his ambitious long-term goal to be providing commercially-available, fully autonomous self-driving technology by 2020. Certainly, the company’s forthcoming update brings its vehicles one significant step closer to this reality. Considering the innovative nature of Tesla’s work, combined with the risk-taking persona of its colorful CEO, Musk’s prediction may actually become reality in the next five years.