Tesla boss Elon Musk has promised Version Nine of his company's Autopilot software will arrive in August, unlocking “full self-driving features” for its owners.
The news comes - a little predictably - not from Tesla’s official communications team, but from Musk’s own Twitter account, on which he was responding to criticism from a Tesla owner about the current Autopilot’s propensity to get confused when two lanes are merging into one.
“The biggest issue I have noticed is when two lanes merge and it is rush-hour traffic. The autopilot is not able to decide to let the car slightly ahead on the neighbouring lane go ahead and I invariably find myself cornered,” Tesla owner Anand Krishnamurthy Tweeted to Musk.
In response, Musk wrote: “That issue is better in latest Autopilot software rolling out now & fully fixed in August update as part of our long-awaited Tesla Version 9. To date, Autopilot resources have rightly focused entirely on safety. With V9, we will begin to enable full self-driving features.”
Musk hinted at an imminent upgrade to Tesla's existing Autopilot technology at the company's annual shareholder meeting in Silicon Valley, too - as well as a new 30-day free trial for owners. Tesla's own website says "Enhanced Autopilot" will be introduced as soon as its validation is completed.
"Enhanced Autopilot adds these new capabilities to the Tesla Autopilot driving experience. Your Tesla will match speed to traffic conditions, keep within a lane, automatically change lanes without requiring driver input, transition from one freeway to another, exit the freeway when your destination is near, self-park when near a parking spot and be summoned to and from your garage," the site reads.
"Once on the freeway, your Tesla will determine which lane you need to be in and when. In addition to ensuring you reach your intended exit, Autopilot will watch for opportunities to move to a faster lane when you're caught behind slower traffic. When you reach your exit, your Tesla will depart the freeway, slow down and transition control back to you."
The timing is curious for Tesla, which is currently defending itself over a fatal accident in California, during which a Model X with Autopilot activated smashed into a barrier. A premmlinary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board suggests the Tesla sped up in the moments before impact.
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