Elon Musk said Tesla vehicles will be able to find open parking spots without driver assistance by next year

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday via Twitter that by next year the automaker will expand the capabilities of a feature that allows Tesla vehicles to park with limited driver assistance.
• "By next year, a Tesla should be able to drive around a parking lot, find an empty spot, read signs to confirm it's valid & park," Musk said.
• While the AutoPark feature identifies possible parking spots for drivers to choose, Musk suggested that it will eventually be able to both find and choose a parking spot without driver assistance.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday via Twitter that by next year the automaker will expand the capabilities of a feature that allows Tesla vehicles to park with limited driver assistance.Advertisement

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"By next year, a Tesla should be able to drive around a parking lot, find an empty spot, read signs to confirm it's valid & park," Musk said.

The feature, called AutoPark, comes with Autopilot, Tesla's semi-autonomous driver assistance system. When prompted by a driver, the feature can move a vehicle into a parking spot. While Autopark identifies possible parking spots for drivers to choose, Musk suggested that it will eventually be able to both find and choose a parking spot without driver assistance.

Read more: I tried Tesla's Autopilot for the first time - and it was nerve-racking at first

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On Thursday, Tesla began to roll out a new Autopilot feature, called Navigate on Autopilot, that can recommend lane changes, navigate transitions between highways, and take exits, with driver supervision. Autopilot can also keep a car in its lane and adjust its speed based on surrounding traffic, among other features.

In early October, Consumer Reports released its rankings of four semi-autonomous driver assistance systems. The publication ranked Autopilot second, behind Cadillac's Super Cruise. Autopilot received the highest rating for capability and performance and ease of use but received the lowest rating for keeping drivers engaged.Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.Advertisement

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