Tesla readying Autopilot for traffic lights, stop signs, roundabouts
Elon Musk says the cars will soon be able to go from an owners garage to their workplace with no driver input.
Tesla is already testing another wave of advanced Autopilot features to narrow the gap between highway assistance and full self-driving capability.
"Already testing traffic lights, stop signs & roundabouts in development software," CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter. "Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your garage at home to parking at work with no driver input at all."
The feature will require Tesla's upcoming Autopilot Hardware v3, which integrates much more powerful chips -- developed in-house -- to achieve a 10-fold increase in image processing ability. The v3 module will be drop-in compatible for any Tesla vehicles built with Autopilot v2 hardware.
Although the upcoming capabilities move Autopilot toward true self-driving, drivers presumably will still be advised to remain attentive to the road while the vehicle steers itself.
Autopilot v3 is expected to be ready next year. In the meantime, Musk is encouraging owners to try out the new Navigate on Autopilot feature that recently began rolling out via an over-the-air software update.
"It will blow your mind," he promises. "Automatically passes slow cars & takes highway interchanges & off-ramps."