Tesla Rolls Out Navigate on Autopilot With Driver Confirmed Lane Changes
Tesla releases its advanced Navigate on Autopilot feature to the wider US fleet, though drivers currently must confirm lane changes manually. The company needs millions more miles of data before enabling fully automatic lane changes.
Tesla rolls out its most advanced Autopilot feature yet, known as Navigate on Autopilot, to the wider fleet in the United States. This highly anticipated addition guides vehicles from highway on-ramps to off-ramps by suggesting lane changes based on the navigation route and current traffic speeds. Owners with Enhanced Autopilot already drive tens of millions of miles to help validate this system.
Despite the initial promise of fully automatic driving, Tesla requires drivers to confirm lane changes using the turn stalk before the vehicle moves into an adjacent lane. The automaker originally plans to include this feature in the version 9.0 software update but delays the release to gather more real-world safety data. A new demonstration video shows exactly how the system suggests and executes these maneuvers in a Model 3.
Tesla states that future software versions will allow customers to waive the confirmation requirement if they choose to do so. However, CEO Elon Musk notes that the system needs approximately 10 million more miles of data before it automatically initiates lane changes. Until regulators approve truly driverless vehicles, Tesla emphasizes that drivers remain responsible for and must maintain control of their cars at all times.