Elon Musk says Tesla vehicles will soon be able to drive without any human input
- Tesla vehicles will soon be able to drive without any human assistance, CEO Elon Musk said on Sunday via Twitter.
- "Already testing traffic lights, stop signs & roundabouts in development software. Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your garage at home to parking at work with no driver input at all," he said.
- Tesla declined a request for comment on when the update Musk described will arrive and whether any restrictions will be placed on where or how it can be used.
Tesla vehicles will soon be able to drive without any human assistance, CEO Elon Musk said on Sunday via Twitter.
"Already testing traffic lights, stop signs & roundabouts in development software. Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your garage at home to parking at work with no driver input at all," he said.
The update Musk described aligns with what the autonomous vehicle industry refers to as Level-4 or Level-5 capability, the two most advanced levels of autonomous driving technology. A Level-4 system can drive without human assistance under certain conditions, while a Level-5 system can drive without human assistance under all conditions. Tesla's semi-autonomous driver-assistance feature, Autopilot, is a Level-2 system, which means it can control speed and steering under some circumstances but requires a driver's input and attention.
Read more: Elon Musk broke one of Tesla's biggest Autopilot rules in a TV interview
An update similar to the one Musk described would likely require regulatory approval before it could be offered to customers. Musk later said Tesla was waiting for approval from European Union regulators but made no mention of United States regulators.
Tesla declined a request for comment on when the update Musk described will arrive and whether any restrictions will be placed on where or how it can be used.
Autopilot can keep a car in its lane, adjust its speed based on surrounding traffic, recommend lane changes, navigate transitions between highways, and take exits, with driver supervision.
In October, Consumer Reports released its rankings of four semi-autonomous driver-assistance systems. Autopilot ranked second, behind Cadillac's Super Cruise, with the highest rating among the four for capability and performance and ease of use, but the lowest for keeping drivers engaged.
Tesla has received criticism for how it has promoted Autopilot, and fatal accidents involving the feature have raised questions about whether drivers place too much trust in it and fail to pay attention to the road. Tesla says Autopilot is meant to be used with an attentive driver whose hands are on the wheel, but the most visible accidents involving Autopilot have involved reports of distracted drivers, and on multiple occasions, Musk has used the feature without keeping his hands on the wheel during television interviews.
- Read more about Tesla's Autopilot:
- I tried Tesla's new Autopilot feature that helps navigate during highway driving to see if it's helpful - here's the verdict
- Police in the San Francisco Bay Area took an unusual approach to stop a Tesla operating on Autopilot as a drunk driver slept behind the wheel
- Tesla may be making a perilous mistake trying to make Autopilot into a full self-driving system
- Tesla's Autopilot used to give the company a huge advantage - but now it's becoming a problem
Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.