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Elon Musk has just announced that Tesla Motors has received regulatory approvals for the recently revealed Autopilot software update. All countries, except Japan where it’s still under review, can now use this feature on their Tesla cars. Great news, but what happens with those EV owners who can’t keep their hands on the steering wheel?
Musk revealed the Autopilot v7.0 software to the world less than two weeks ago, in a press conference. It didn’t take long for Tesla geeks to start testing it on the road, in real conditions. The “auto” in the adjacent word should be taken with a grain of salt, considering the software is not turning the premium EV into an autonomous car.
Oh, no! Oh, yes, you’d better hold your hands on the steering wheel; no way is this car driving itself, not now anyway. The recent enhancement worth $2,500 is, however, quite the toy that may turn your regular trip to work into a joyride.
The other day, we were telling you about the first videos of self-driving near crashes showing up on YouTube and how they prove some near accidents have already occurred due to ignorant drivers. Heck, Tesla Model S may be a green car, but it’s not some guarding angel that will pick you up when you fall. Perhaps that’s where the company’s engineers want to get with this software, but we’re not there yet.
In the aforementioned videos, drivers show how taking the hands off the steering wheel works until it doesn’t anymore. After all, the premium EV maker has warned everybody this could happen.
“While truly driverless cars are still a few years away, Tesla Autopilot functions like the systems that airplane pilots use when conditions are clear. The driver is still responsible for, and ultimately in control of, the car. What's more, you always have intuitive access to the information your car is using to inform its actions,” a statement on the Tesla website reads.
In the light of Elon Musk’s recent announcement on Twitter, here we are, once again asking ourselves whether or not some drivers are capable of handling the software wise. For the sake of safety on the road, we can only hope they are.
Oh, no! Oh, yes, you’d better hold your hands on the steering wheel; no way is this car driving itself, not now anyway. The recent enhancement worth $2,500 is, however, quite the toy that may turn your regular trip to work into a joyride.
The other day, we were telling you about the first videos of self-driving near crashes showing up on YouTube and how they prove some near accidents have already occurred due to ignorant drivers. Heck, Tesla Model S may be a green car, but it’s not some guarding angel that will pick you up when you fall. Perhaps that’s where the company’s engineers want to get with this software, but we’re not there yet.
In the aforementioned videos, drivers show how taking the hands off the steering wheel works until it doesn’t anymore. After all, the premium EV maker has warned everybody this could happen.
“While truly driverless cars are still a few years away, Tesla Autopilot functions like the systems that airplane pilots use when conditions are clear. The driver is still responsible for, and ultimately in control of, the car. What's more, you always have intuitive access to the information your car is using to inform its actions,” a statement on the Tesla website reads.
In the light of Elon Musk’s recent announcement on Twitter, here we are, once again asking ourselves whether or not some drivers are capable of handling the software wise. For the sake of safety on the road, we can only hope they are.
Regulatory approvals received, so Autopilot rolling out to all countries! (Excluding Japan, which is still under review)
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2015
Autopilot 1.01 coming soon: curve speed adaption, controller smoothness, better lane holding on poor roads, improved fleet learning!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2015
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