The new version of Autopilot also relies more on radar than cameras.
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In a blog post published on September 11, Musk revealed that the hardware update would make the radar sensor the primary control sensor, since the technology does not require visual image recognition like the camera sensors to detect objects on the road.
Musk first announced the software update August 31, but its release was delayed by the explosion of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket September 1.
A security team in China managed to hack into a Tesla Model S from more than 12 miles away while driving in the self-driving feature. Presently, it is not known whether the vehicle had Autopilot engaged, as the damage to the computer system made this data unrecoverable.
In an industry-first safety measure, we are introducing Cabin Overheat Protection, focused on child (and pet) safety. A group of 126 owners of Tesla Model S cars has taken the American company to court because the “Insane Mode” is not as advertised.
An integrated solar and energy storage product in partnership with solar panel company SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY), where Musk is the largest shareholder and board chairman, isn’t necessarily news.
And as the press highlights the dangers of leaving children or animals in the vehicle in warm weather, the car’s climate control system can now keep the auto at a safe temperature for hours at a time.
The 8.1 update to come at a later date will also let users set their own min and max temperatures to engaged the automatic temperature control, Musk noted on Twitter.
In January, 23-year-old Gao Yaning died in a crash in the northeastern province of Hebei while driving a Tesla Model S. Six months later his father, Gao Jubin, filed a lawsuit accusing Tesla of exaggerating Autopilot’s capabilities.
Tencent’s Keen Security Lab disclosed on its blog that its researchers have remotely controlled few systems on the Tesla S cars in both parking and driving modes by taking advantage of the security bugs that are now fixed by the company.
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Tesla began sending out Autopilot 8.0 last night as an over-the-air software update. And we think its stock price has almost unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla Motors.
