Skip to main content

Autopilot goes beta: Tesla running semiautonomous trials with Model S owners

Tesla Motors has big plans for the future, and zero-emissions vehicles are just the start. Not long ago, company CEO and technological wunderkind Elon Musk said his cars would be fully autonomous “in the five- or six-year time frame,” and his brand has taken yet another step toward a driverless future.

According to a report by Autoblog, the latest iteration of Tesla’s Autopilot feature (version 7.0) has been rolled out to a select number of Model S beta testers. The update includes highway auto-steer (essentially lane keeping) and automatic parallel parking, while also improving Tesla’s Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.

Recommended Videos

Version 7.0 doesn’t make the car fully autonomous of course, as the driver is still required to participate and many functions only work on well-marked highways. “We don’t want to set the expectation that you can basically pay no attention to what the car is doing,” Musk said in a recent earnings call. The CEO also stated the system works best when there is a car in front to track, but even when there are only lanes to read, it still works pretty well.

“It will get better over time as we refine the software,” Musk added.

The Autopilot feature in the Model S utilizes a forward-looking camera, radar sensors, real-time traffic updates, and 360-degree sonar sensors to keep itself on the road. The necessary hardware has been included with the luxury sedan for some time now, so software updates will continue to push the vehicle’s autonomous capabilities forward. Eventually, Tesla says Model S drivers will be able to “summon” their vehicle with the push of a button, so long as they’re on private property.

Version 6.2 is available to the public currently, and it includes automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, valet mode, and automated notification of nearby charging locations. Version 7.0 is expected to roll out to the public later in 2015.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Tesla has released a cheaper Model 3 — and I really hope it comes to the U.S.
Tesla Model 3 Highland Front

The Tesla Model 3 is already one of the most popular electric vehicles, thanks to its large selection of great EV features and a reasonably low price compared to other electric cars. But it seems like Tesla is working on making the car even cheaper and has released a more affordable Model 3 with a downgraded interior in Mexico.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that the Model 3 is available at a lower price in Mexico (it cuts the price of the current base Model 3 by around $4,000). But I really hope the vehicle makes it to the U.S.
What's different?
There are a few things that set the cheaper Model 3 variant apart from the current base Model 3 in the U,S. Most of these have to do with a regression of features compared to the Model 3 Highland update that was released last year. For example, the new passenger display in the back seat has been removed, and the accent lighting in the car is white only. Additionally, the seat coverings are a cheaper fabric instead of the faux leather available in the current Model 3. And there are no options for heated seats or a heated steering wheel.

Read more
The base Tesla Model 3 isn’t bad, but you should probably upgrade
Tesla Model 3 Highland Front

Tesla is expanding the available options for the Model 3. Some time ago, Tesla stopped selling the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, but the company has rereleased that version of the Model 3 in the form of the new Model 3 Highland design. This expands the number of Model 3 options available to four.

There are plenty of good reasons to buy a Tesla Model 3, but one of them is most certainly the price. The base version of the Model 3 starts at $38,990 before any tax incentives or other discounts. Sure, that’s not cheap, but it does make the Model 3 one of the least expensive high-end EVs out there right now. If you’re interested in the Model 3, however, I don’t think you should buy the base model. I think you should upgrade.

Read more
The Tesla Model Y is at its lowest price yet — but should you buy one?
Tesla Model Y

Despite increased competition in the space, the Tesla Model Y is still one of the best EVs out there. It has access to the best charging network, plus it offers among the best software experiences, as well as a solid range, especially in the longer-range models. And the Model Y is now down to its lowest price yet, meaning that if you were considering getting one, now is probably the time to buy.

The base price of the Tesla Model Y is down to $42,990 at the time of this writing, which represents a pretty huge price cut. That's before any tax incentives too -- and considering the car is eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit, that means you could get it for as low as $35,490.

Read more