On Oct. 14, 2015, American automotive manufacturer Tesla revealed plans to bring their vehicles into a future that includes self-driving cars. Tesla’s Model S began rolling out updated software that will make it possible for the vehicle to navigate roads without a driver having their hands on the wheel. This update will affect all previously owned Model S vehicles, using internal computers and sensors that are already found in the cars. The update can be downloaded overnight, for all drivers who want the car to be hands-free by morning.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk referred to the implementation of the self-driving technology as a “public beta” and stated that the update will be a “profound experience for people when they use it.”
The new software, as it is being implemented currently, will not remove the need for a driver while the vehicle is in motion. It would be apt to think of the self-driving aspect as more of a technologically heightened cruise control and less as a computerized chauffeur. The two primary aspects of driving that will benefit from the update are highway driving and parallel parking.
The cruise control aspect comes to the forefront when being used on the highway. The software is programmed to keep each car in their specific lane. Using ultrasonic sensors, traffic readings, and a state-of-the-art GPS system, the software allows the computer to see through a multitude of dangerous weather conditions. The parallel parking software, fittingly named “Autopark,” scans the vehicle’s immediate area for an empty parking space and steers the vehicle into a nice-and-snug parked position.
Each Model S vehicle will also have their data downloaded to a central bank, where the collected information will allow the software to be modified and consistently improved. One final piece of software that arrives with the new update is an enhanced collision system. This new system will notify drivers when their actions may result in a collision, such as merging into a congested lane.
The technology presented by Musk and Tesla is an astounding leap forward in automotive technology. While Musk urged drivers to keep both hands on the wheel at all times, the company has already named 2018 as the year when they hope to have the first completely self-driving car out on the market.