Tesla will enable automated freeway driving this summer

Friday, March 20, 2015

Tesla will enable automated freeway driving this summer

Chris Taylor reporting at Mashable:

So to recap: Tesla cars will start self-driving this summer, on freeways at least. (It seems likely that once we've gotten used to that notion, autopilot for the full ride will be unlocked.) Google could have done the same thing for us a few years back, if the company were not driven by perfectionism and relentless iteration.

This is interesting. Tesla, to me, has made Google look a little old school, in a bad way. What’s more disruptive? Waiting until you’ve perfected automobile automation everywhere, or enable what you’re confident you’ve done well?

Of course, a base Model S goes for $63,570 after the federal tax credit. So I won’t be automated-ly driving around any freeways for at least a decade (student loan reform, anyone?). But the fact that Tesla can enable automated driving with nothing more than a software update speaks volumes to where the industry is headed.

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