Every New Tesla, Including Model 3, To Get Hardware For Full Autonomy
Ever since Autopilot launched a year ago, Tesla has been working towards offering full self-driving capability in its cars. Its current system is one of the most advanced on the market, but it only offers partial autonomy, and is intended more as a driver assistance feature. Tesla isn't offering totally self-driving car yet, but now it's equipping all its cars with the hardware to enable it.
Updated 10/20 at 10:45 a.m. with pricing info.
Tesla announced Wednesday that all of its cars going forward, including the Model 3, would be equipped with hardware that will allow for Level 5 self-driving capability. The company described the hardware in a press release:
"We are excited to announce that, as of today, all Tesla vehicles produced in our factory – including Model 3 – will have the hardware needed for full self-driving capability at a safety level substantially greater than that of a human driver. Eight surround cameras provide 360 degree visibility around the car at up to 250 meters of range. Twelve updated ultrasonic sensors complement this vision, allowing for detection of both hard and soft objects at nearly twice the distance of the prior system. A forward-facing radar with enhanced processing provides additional data about the world on a redundant wavelength, capable of seeing through heavy rain, fog, dust and even the car ahead. "
Musk said in a press call that "it'll take us some time" before Tesla can offer such advanced software to the public, but that this hardware lays the groundwork that will allow the company to do this. In the meantime, it will offer what it calls Enhanced Autopilot, which uses four cameras, where the current iteration of Autopilot uses just one.
Enhanced Autopilot will roll out in December 2016, and will be able to change lanes on the highway without any driver input. In addition, Enhanced Autopilot will be able to transition from one highway to another, and exit highways on its own.
In tandem with this new hardware, Tesla has developed a new neural network software that allows the car to process all the data from the cameras, sensors, and radar. Musk says that the this system will soon be at least twice as safe as a human driver. The ultimate aim, though, is to develop a system that is 10 times as safe as a human driver.
Interestingly, cars equipped with with this new hardware suite, dubbed Hardware 2, won't have feature parity with cars equipped with current Autopilot hardware until next year. Musk says owners with first-generation autopilot hardware won't be able to upgrade either.
"I wish there was some other way to do it," said Musk. "There's no way to go into all the cars and install seven cameras and a wiring harness."
According to Tesla's configurator, Enhanced Autopilot costs $5000, and adding full autonomous capability is an additional $3000. If the owner decides to add either of those features after delivery, the price increases by an additional $1000.
Of course, full autonomous capability will only roll out when the software is ready and Tesla gets regulatory approval. Tesla doesn't have a definitive timeline for when this will happen, and it could vary based on jurisdiction.
With this new hardware and software suite, Tesla says it will be able to have a car drive from Los Angeles to New York without the need for any human input whatsoever, including charging.
This story was last updated at 10:45 a.m. ET on 10/20.
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