Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk recently shared one of his electric vehicles (EV) will soon be able to drive coast-to-coast in Autopilot mode. He claims that the electric cars' upgraded system will be able to traverse in full-autonomous mode from Los Angeles to New York by the end of 2017. The cross-country trip takes 48 hours driving at the speed limit and switching drivers sitting behind the wheel.
Musk reported the news in a conference call this week. Tesla's chief executive also gave details on October 19, Wednesday about the "Level 5" autonomous software that Tesla Model 3 owners can use next year.
The "Hardware 2" system for self-driving cars will include eight 360-degree cameras with a range up to 820 feet (250 meters). Every two months or so the green car company will release upgrades for the fully autonomous system.
As a result some original Autopilot features will not be available on newer vehicles at first. That includes active cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
However, Tesla claims it will still roll out fully-autonomous vehicles a few years before other automakers such as Ford and BMW. Google already has a fleet of driverless cars but the Alphabet company has not announced its plans for the robot cars.
Tesla's new software would have to be certified and the autonomous system approved by regulators. The California-based company believes those events will happen later.
Musk claims that cars in autonomous mode are two times safer than human-operated vehicles, according to Autoblog. The SpaceX founder criticized the media for widely-reported car accidents that might have been caused by Tesla cars in Autopilot mode.
Some regulators are also questioning the use of the name "Autopilot." German and Dutch auto regulators argue that the name suggests the driver does not have to be fully focused when the system is on.
However, Tesla argues that Autopilot informs people to drive carefully when Autopilot is engaged. The current system uses cameras, sensors, and radar to control the car's speed and steering.
In related news, Ford and Jaguar Land Rover will test new "Autodrive" tech that allows smart cars to "talk" to each other, skip red traffic lights, and help drivers find a parking space, according to Daily Mail. The $24 million project was launched on October 21, Friday in the United Kingdom.
Here's the Tesla Model 3 vs. Model S: