If you have a Tesla Model S, you can now make it come to you.
The carmaker has pushed out a recent Tesla Model S software update. The Autopilot feature was modified with the update, and also added the capability for the car to both park itself and drive to you – within reason. Noted by the 7.1 name, the update to the Autopilot software enables the vehicle to be able to pull in or out of a parking space, with the driver using the key fob to control it.
Every Tesla Model S built since October 2014 has the hardware necessary for this feature. Cameras and sensors on the bumpers help guide park the vehicle. With the HomeLink feature is connected to a garage, the car will even open the garage door, park or pull out of the garage (the latter via the summoning feature), and then close the doors. It can even back in! The vehicle will also be able to park itself in parking spots perpendicular to the curb.
With the Tesla Model S software update becoming live, owners have shown off the features on YouTube, which seem to show the requirements of a flat surface, alignment of the car in front of the space, and proximity of the driver and key fob.
In addition to the upgrades to the parking, the Autopilot system also went through a number of modifications. The vehicle can now only drive five miles per hour above the speed limit. An occupant in the driver’s seat is also required on residential roads and those without a median in the center.
With the Tesla Model S software update, the vehicle can now determine the types of vehicles it’s sharing the road with, and make better lane adjustments where gaps or fading in the painted lines exist. Originally perceived as a marketing ploy, Elon Musk’s promise of fully autonomous vehicles doesn’t seem as far off now after all.
