While Tesla has been delivering vehicles equipped with the latest Autopilot hardware the software is still under wraps, at least for a further three weeks.
The details on Autopilot 8.1 were confirmed by Elon Musk himself through his twitter account in response to a tweet from a customer with a new Model S. The new features in the 8.1 update will be released with incremental monthly updates as real world data feeds back to Tesla from customers.
Building on Autopilot 8.0 released earlier in September this year, version 8.1 will take full advantage of the updated sensory hardware which includes eight surround cameras, 12 updated ultrasonic sensors and a forward-facing radar.
The “enhanced” Autopilot software allows a Tesla to match its speed to traffic conditions, automatically change lanes without driver input, transition from one freeway to another, exit the freeway automatically when dictated by the sat nav route guidance, self park when near a parking spot and be summoned to and from a garage.
Tesla aims to use the new hardware to provide entirely self driving vehicles in 2017 so don’t be too shocked if you get overtaken by a car with no one in it in the near future.
