Tesla's latest update shows how the company recently introduced the Navigate on Autopilot system.
According to CAR BUZZ, this adds the ability to navigate highway on and off ramps. The system is based on the destination in the GPS system and suggests lane changes. But among all these, Elon Musk has ambitious plans for the future update.
The 47-year-old teased that Tesla is already cooking up something to make the advanced system navigate traffic lights, roundabouts, and stop signs. Aside from this, he reiterated as well that Tesla cars will have the ability to navigate a parking lot and park without any input from the driver. It can be recalled that Musk previously promised the feature will be available in 2019.
Musk's exact words on Twitter say, "If you have a Tesla built in past 2 years, definitely try to Navigate on Autopilot. It will blow your mind. Automatically passes slow cars & takes highway interchanges & off-ramps. Already testing traffic lights, stop signs & roundabouts in development software. Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your garage at home to parking at work with no driver input at all."
It seems like Tesla is about to successfully achieve the autonomous driving. However, just like several bold claims, this raises a lot of questions. Musk was not able to explain how the update to Navigate on Autopilot will work. He also did not detail when it will be launched or how long Tesla is going to test this technology.
Moreover, it also is not clear if the real-world testing has been carried out or if they were computer-simulated. Musk's biggest hurdle in this system is how the project can be approved by federal regulators like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There is no doubt they will have plenty of safety concerns to reduce the driver input on traffic-clogged city streets. With no driver input, the data is reportedly gathered through the following:
front and rear cameras
forward radar
side proximity sensors
The data is all sent back to Tesla headquarters and the company runs the data through simulations. This is undeniably a huge step forward to true autonomous driving. In the end, Tesla mad it clear that an Autopilot must only be used when the driver is fully attentive and able to take over at any time. Driving reported that Independent testing still proves that an Autopilot and other automakers' systems are still unable to drive on public roads without human input.
