Tesla releasing Autopilot software for Model S cars

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Tesla MotorsInc.begins distributing an advanced set of autonomous driving features that stop short of being a fully driverless system due to regulatory and safety concerns. “ARmenpress” reports the aforesaid, referring to The Wall Street Journal.

Tesla’s software, announced earlier this year, will allow hands- and feet-free driving in everything from stop-and-go traffic to highway speeds, and enables a car to park itself. It will be available for 50,000 newer Model S cars world-wide via software download, with owners in the U.S. likely to get the features first.

The Palo Alto, Calif., luxury electric-car maker’s software requires a driver to grab the steering wheel every 10 seconds or so to avoid having the vehicle slow.

The restrictions show the balance that auto makers are looking to strike between offering advanced features and staying within licensing regulations. Customers increasingly want high-tech gadgets and safety gear, but most state regulators place limits on who could use those features.

“We’re being especially cautious at this early stage,” Tesla Chief ExecutiveElon Musksaid on Wednesday. “Over time there will not be a need to have their hands on the wheel,” he said, but it is recommended while the feature is in “beta” test.