The updated Tesla Autopilot 8.0 will come via an over-the-air software update for the operating system of Tesla cars within the next one or two weeks, including for cars in the UK.
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Tesla Motors (TSLA) said Sunday that it will roll out a software upgrade that will rely more on radar signals than cameras, a move that CEO Elon Musk said “very likely” would have prevented a Model S fatal crash in May.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the electric auto company is making major improvements to the Autopilot system used by its vehicles, which will dramatically reduce the number and severity of crashes in which they are involved.
“We’re making much more effective use of radar”, Chief Executive Elon Musk told journalists on a call.
Autopilot is meant to allow drivers to remove their hands from the wheel for up to three minutes, depending on the driving scenario.
The company says it’s made more than 200 improvements to its software with this update, including a change that will lock inattentive drivers out of Autopilot mode if they don’t take the wheel when the auto issues an audible warning three times in an hour. The investigation into the Tesla fatality revealed that Brown had possibly been watching a Harry Potter film at the time of the accident, despite the fact that Musk himself had always said drivers should remain engaged even when using autopilot.
Model S and X owners will also get a redesigned map and navigation interface.
In addition to these critical changes, Tesla says there are over 200 other, smaller ones as part of the Version 8.0 update.
Emphasizing the reality check, Musk added that the primary benefit vehicle owners will get from the upgrade would be the vehicles’ ability to detect any objects around it; the closest a driver can get to a clear vision around the auto area. However, if the response time of that vehicle is slow, then Tesla cars can end up following them into an accident.
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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) auto owners are in line for another update to its Autopilot autonomous automotive technology, the company has revealed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the crash, focusing on the emergency braking and forward-collision warnings.
