Tesla Motors Model X (Photo : Reuters)
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced that an Autopilot mode will be included in the upcoming software update in summer for the Model S and the new Model X cars.
Amid the hype for autonomous driving, Tesla is now planning to take the first step to make self-driving cars a bit more possible to achieve.
On Thursday, Tesla's Musk said that an upcoming software update will be launched alongside the new Model X electric car. The said update will allow Tesla's new electric vehicle and its famous Model S to drive without the human touch for a short distance, according to Mercury News.
Musk said that if the user pushes the "summon" button, the car will automatically find the driver. If pressed again, the car will automatically drive itself to the garage and even close the door.
While the feat might be small-scaled, it still shows that Tesla's electric vehicles are the most advanced in terms of autonomous capabilities.
However, Tesla warned that the feature can only be used on private property as several states do not allow self-driving cars yet.
"It would be the furthest someone has pushed the autonomous thing," said Karl Brauer, an analyst from Kelley Blue Book.
The software update will also contain active safety features such as side-collision and blind-spot warnings, and automatic emergency braking, according to Boston Globe.
It will also feature added tools that will show charging stations' status and routes to reduce the ongoing "range anxiety," which is the driver's fear of running out of battery power and ending up stranded.
Tesla had a victory when Governor Chris Christie decided to sign the bill that allows the car manufacturer to directly sell their vehicles to customers in New Jersey.
