Tesla Cars Target Full Autonomy by 2017

Autonomous or self-driving cars used to be the realm of science fiction, but now they are fast becoming a reality. Though the technology has been dabbled upon since the 1920s, it was only in this decade that the possibility of a mass-produced autonomous car got well within reach.

Recently, Tesla announced its plans to equip its next wave of cars with components that can make them autonomous, albeit at a later time. Eight cameras are to be installed around the car, which should provide a 360 degree view around the vehicle. These cameras will be complemented by twelve advanced ultrasonic sensors, a forward-facing radar, and an onboard computer with a processing power that’s over 40 times more than the previous version. The computer in particular, will run all the vision, sonar, and radar software applications.

According to Tesla, before the autonomous feature is activated, they’ll first have to calibrate the system using data gathered from millions of miles of real-world driving. While this data is being gathered, the autonomy-equipped Teslas will temporarily have certain features disabled, including automatic emergency braking, lane holding, active cruise control, and collision warning.

Autonomous Tech Capabilities

The cameras are designed to provide visibility of up to 250 meters. The ultrasonic sensors on the other hand, can detect both hard and soft objects at almost twice the distance of the previous model. Meanwhile, the enhanced radar is capable of functioning through heavy rain, fog, dust, and even the car upfront. Tesla hopes that these added features will give future models the ability to “provide additional data about the car’s surrounding environment and the route ahead and allow it to see through the car ahead and challenging conditions.”

“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,” begins Tesla’s statement, which was announced on October 19 this year.

The aim of these tech additions is to give Tesla cars level 5 autonomy—the highest autonomy level—by 2017. This means that as early as next year, Tesla cars will be fully capable of driving themselves with zero input or interaction from the human driver.

An Evolution in Vehicle Safety

A fully autonomous will be the next step in vehicle safety not only for the Tesla brand, but the automotive industry in general. Currently, a Tesla car can perform various self-driving functions such as stay in lane, maintain speed, and avoid ramming into an upfront vehicle. However, the car isn’t yet capable of driving itself through traffic. As Musk has demonstrated, Tesla cars of the future will be able to pick you up, navigate through traffic, drop you off, and park on their own.

Autonomous cars free the driver from the steering wheel, and without the human error factor, millions of lives can possibly be saved. Just think—no more car accidents, no more drunk-driving, no more traffic violations.

Production is Well Underway

The Tesla car models that are destined for full autonomy include the Model S and Model X electric cars, and according to the Elon Musk-owned company, the production of these vehicles is already underway. However, activating their full autonomy feature comes as an $8,000 added expense to Tesla owners, a major increase to the $3,000 they’ve already spent.

Clearly, fully autonomous cars are still well beyond the budget of the average Juan. The good news is that technology can only get cheaper with the passing of time, so until such cars reach affordable levels, it pays to be mindful of how you drive and practice safety while on the road. Otherwise, you could end up causing injury to yourself or to others, and maybe even lose your life. Don’t risk your future and your freedom.