Tesla Firmware 6.1 Update Introduces Traffic-Aware Cruise Control for Autopilot

Before going further, let’s take a moment and talk about this Autopilot for a better understanding of what’s the deal with the OS 6.1’s Traffic-Aware Cruise Control feature. To put it simply, Autopilot is a semi-autonomous driving system that combines a camera, radars, as well as 360-degree sonar sensors.

Thanks to electronic wizardry and this hardware working concomitantly, the Autopilot feature will provide real time traffic updates to the Model S, helping the electric sedan automatically drive on the open road and in dense stop and go traffic.

The 360-degree sonar sensors offer autonomous lane changing with the tap of the turn signal

Last but not least, when you arrive at your destination, the Autopilot is able to detect a free spot and automatically park too. But the detail that totally blows my mind is that when Autopilot is activated, the Tesla Model S follows the road, steering around curves and varying its speed to match the flow of traffic.

It’s sci-fi, I told you. As highlighted by Teslarati.com, Tesla OS 6.1 updates Autopilot with the so-called Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC), which is a glorified way of saying adaptive cruise control.

As the man in video attached below demonstrates, TACC is tasked with automatic braking and speed adjustments depending on the traffic in front of you and your Autopilot-equipped Tesla Model S.

OS 6.1 adds new or improved stuff, including Route Overview for the sat nav, a Smart Preconditioning feature, reverse parking camera guidelines, Energy Option for Battery Display and Trip Energy Prediction, simplified right-hand side steering wheel controls, automated high beams and forward collision warning.