Tesla installs 'autopilot' update on its electric cars

[Zorro]

Source: AFP

High-end electric vehicle maker Tesla is taking a major step toward self-driving cars by installing new autopilot software Thursday in North America to automatically change lanes, manage speed and even hit the brakes.

Self-driving capabilities -- previously limited to cars tested by technology titans such as Google -- hit the streets "overnight" with the latest Tesla Version 7.0 software, the company said Wednesday.

The feature, unveiled Wednesday, is being added to thousands of Tesla's Model S cars already on the road. By June 30, Tesla had already sold nearly 80,000 of the four-door sedans.

The so-called Version 7.0 software is due to hit the European and Asian markets next week after obtaining the required authorization.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/tesla-adds-autopilot-model-electric-cars-045648296.html

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Autonomous driving is getting more real. The driving experience will be much different 20 years from now.

[truthisfreedom]

1. You gotta love how this is a software update

That went out via the Internet, automatically.

[Renew Deal]

2. Sounds dangerous to me

What is Tesla doing to protect these cars from malicious updates?

[truthisfreedom]

4. Gosh, you should contact them about that!

Considering they've had zero problems so far, I'm not worried in the least.

[Renew Deal]

5. You don't have a problem until you have a problem

And often, you don't know you have a problem until it's too late.

[JohnnyRingo]

3. Tesla is also now monitoring the cars activities...

...collecting data pertaining to how actual humans drive in various situations.

They want to use that info to make a future self driving car operate more like a real person is at the wheel. Knowing how many here have privacy issues, that could be the next big story on DU. I'm sure there's a good amount of fine print when one buys a Tesla.

Personally, I'm not too concerned, but I remember how DUers reacted when they found out their iPhones were gleaned for anonymous information. Elon Musk, with his connections to govt programs could be our ultimate Big Brother. Such is the high cost of technological convenience.

Link via Jalopnik:

Tesla Is Already Tracking Its Cars To Teach Them To Drive Themselves

That’s because Tesla is keeping a very close eye on the cars it’s already sold. Very close. The company posted this map of the San Francisco Bay Area in a presentation today as anonymously collected by Model Ss driving around on their daily business. It’s detailed down to the lines in some parking lots.

Continued here:
http://jalopnik.com/tesla-is-already-tracking-its-cars-to-teach-them-to-dri-1736582289