Tesla owners like to boast to owners of other brands?with an air of smug superiority, of course?that their vehicles keep getting better over time. That?s because of Tesla?s system of rolling out live, over-the-air updates for everything from core vehicle systems like the way the brakes react to the features available from your key fob. But we anticipate there might not be so much bragging about what Tesla?s latest update does to its Autopilot semi-autonomous system.
As part of its version 8.0.2 software update, Tesla is making the Traffic Aware cruise-control feature in its Model S cars and Model X crossovers stick to the letter of the law?by not allowing it (and thus the Autosteer system, too, which lets the driver take his or her hands off the wheel) to be engaged above the posted speed limit. The change only applies to undivided roads; on divided highways, drivers will still be able to set the system to any speed up to 90 mph, regardless of the posted speed limit, confirmed Tesla spokesperson Keely Sulprizio. ?We leave it to our customers to decide where is the best place to use the feature,? said Sulprizio, emphasizing that there?s been no compromise in the feature?s full stop-and-start capability?a stress reducer in dense traffic?and that it can be engaged at any city speed.
Autopilot has had a feature for some time that slows the vehicle to a limit of 5 mph over the posted speed?from camera input and GPS data?in most of the same situations that are affected by the ...