Tesla CEO: Criticism of self-driving cars can kill people

Oct 22, 2016, 00:06

Tesla Motors Inc. says it will now produce all its vehicles with the hardware needed to enable full self-driving capabilities.

Tesla's self-driving technology relies on eight surround cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Vehicles will also come equipped with a dozen updated ultrasonic sensors that'll complement the cameras, allowing for the detection of both hard and soft objects at almost twice the distance as has previously been possible. The forward-facing radar enhances processing, and means the auto can learn things about the world on different wavelength, meaning it will not be affected by ran, fog or dust.

He highlighted that now all Tesla cars coming out of its manufacturing facility in Fremont, CA are standard with the new self-driving hardware suite, which is capable of Level 5 (full autonomy) autonomous driving. But unlike its competitors in the world of driverless cars, Tesla doesn't use those spinning, roof-mounted 360-degree sensors to map its surroundings, opting instead for a more subtle - and dare we say cooler - approach to autonomy.

While the majority of new Autopilot features will rely on new hardware, Tesla hasn't forgotten about those with first-generation Autopilot hardware, saying it will make these cars "more capable over time" as well.

Effectively, it future-proofs all of Tesla's cars from this day forward, ensuring the company's future over-the-air updates will eventually allow all its vehicles to function entirely autonomously when required. The forthcoming, cheaper Model 3 sedan, which is slated to debut next year, will also include them.

During the testing period, the new Tesla's will also lack autopilot features available on previous models including automatic emergency braking, collision warning, lane holding and active cruise control.

Tesla now has an autopilot feature within its models, though the feature is now considered a Level 3, requiring the support of the driver when needed. Musk said it will be twice as safe as a human driver.