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Surprising Science — March 20, 2015

Tesla May Begin Testing ‘Autopilot’ Feature as Early as June

In an announcement earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced a range of innovative new features to be tested this summer, including the much talked-about self-drive mode.

Robert Montenegro

In an announcement earlier this week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced a range of innovative new features to be tested this summer, including a much talked-about self-drive mode. Tracey Samuelson of Marketplace has the scoop:

“Tesla announced a few software updates it’s planning for its electric vehicles on Thursday, including one where the car tracks its distance from charging stations to try to alleviate driver anxiety about running out of juice. CEO Elon Musk said that the company could push another update — autopilot — to its Model S fleet as soon as June.”

Samuelson’s piece includes a few quotes from industry experts who say this move fits with a trend in which manufacturers move forward with automated vehicles despite the sluggish progress of governmental regulation. We’ve covered this sort of problem before; it’s a common issue when dealing with innovative technologies. With liability issues being such a big deal in today’s world, regulators are spinning their wheels trying to determine who would be at fault in the case of an accident.

Read more at Marketplace.

Photo credit: VanderWolf Images / Shutterstock

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