Tesla's self-driving feature is called "Autopilot," and it's available as an optional feature on most of the company's vehicles. Autopilot is a suite of advanced driver-assistance features that are designed to make driving easier and safer.
Autopilot includes a variety of features that work together to enable semi-autonomous driving, including:
Autosteer: This feature allows the car to steer itself on highways and other well-marked roads. Autosteer uses cameras and radar to detect the lane markings and other vehicles on the road.
Adaptive cruise control: This feature adjusts the car's speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it. It uses radar to detect the distance between the vehicles.
Navigate on Autopilot: This feature allows the car to automatically navigate to a destination, including changing lanes, taking exits, and merging onto highways.
Auto Lane Change: This feature allows the car to change lanes automatically when the driver activates the turn signal.
Summon: This feature allows the driver to summon the car from a parking spot, using a smartphone app.
Autopark: This feature can detect a suitable parking spot and park the car automatically. The driver simply needs to activate Autopark and monitor the car's progress.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control: This feature adjusts the car's speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it, even in stop-and-go traffic.
Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance: This feature alerts the driver when the car is drifting out of its lane and can automatically steer the car back into its lane.
Emergency Braking: This feature can detect an impending collision and apply the brakes to prevent or mitigate the impact.
Full Self-Driving Capability: This feature is currently in development and aims to achieve full autonomous driving. Tesla has not yet released this feature, but it is expected to include advanced capabilities such as navigating complex intersections and urban environments.
It's important to note that while Autopilot is designed to make driving safer and more convenient, it is not a substitute for attentive and responsible driving. Drivers should always be prepared to take control of their vehicle and should never rely solely on Autopilot to drive the car. Additionally, Tesla advises that drivers must still keep their hands on the steering wheel and remain alert while using Autopilot. It's important to note that while Autopilot is highly advanced, it's not fully autonomous. The driver must remain alert and ready to take control of the vehicle at any time. Tesla is constantly improving Autopilot through software updates, and the company's ultimate goal is to achieve fully autonomous driving.
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