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Tesla Updates Software For Its Cars, Autopilot Gets New Features

Tesla has developed a new software update for its cars, and the result is the 8.0 version, which will be available shortly.
Instrument cluster from Tesla Model S facelift 1 photo
Photo: Tesla Motors
The update is described as a significant change for the Model S and Model X cars, and some see it as the most important brought to the system since the launch of the electric sedan from Tesla.

According to Electrek, the 8.0 software update is currently being tested with a select few Tesla customers. The update will eventually be pushed to the fleet in the next few weeks. With these details mentioned, it is time to focus on what improvements have been made to the system.

First of all, Autopilot will get an “automatic off-ramp” function, which will enable users to enter and exit highways without having to touch the steering wheel.

However, Tesla does still recommend the driver to keep their hands on the wheel to correct the trajectory of the vehicle should it be required.

The previous version of Autopilot did not have the ability to exit the highway through an off-ramp. Once the update is installed, users of the Autopilot system will be able to perform this maneuver by activating the turn signal, which will enable the car to exit the highway using the off-ramp without having to turn the steering wheel manually, like in the stone age or something.

At this point, we would like to emphasize the fact that drivers will still have to be vigilant while using the Autopilot system, as they are still responsible for driving the car. The update prepared by Tesla also includes improvements to the Traffic-Aware Cruise Control system, as well as enhancements to the Autosteer function, which will bring a smoother drive.

Users that do not have the Autopilot function will benefit from a refresh of the user interface, which will also include a real-time representation of the vehicle’s surroundings by using the onboard sensors. The voice command system has reportedly been improved by removing the requirement of holding a button to use it, and the map and navigation interfaces have been redesigned.

Tesla even reshaped the “turn list,” a written transcript of the route a vehicle must follow to reach a preset destination. Other changes are in store for Tesla owners, but they have not been revealed, and Autopilot will continue improving as users keep driving with it activated.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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