Everyone wondering what Elon Musk meant in a tweet the other day about eliminating range anxiety now has an answer in the form of software updates to the Tesla Model S.
Tesla’s head said Thursday the Model S cars would get a new round of software updates, starting with new Trip Planner and Range Assurance programs. These operate with the car’s navigation system to warn the driver if he or she is traveling outside the range of the car, look at nearby charging stations and if they’re all being used so you won’t drive by and to plan the optimal route for your trip based on the charging network available. These functions are running even when your navigation system is hidden or off, according to Musk.
The software update 6.2 will be given over-the-air to all current Model S vehicles and installed from new on future models.
In another announcement, Musk said the Version 7 software update will come later in 2015. It’s claimed to bring a new user interface as well as a hands-free driving system for the company’s AutoPilot system previewed last year on the P85D. The idea is that the car can stay in its lane without driver input to the steering wheel, theoretically allowing a person to drive “hands-free” from Seattle to San Francisco. The system is also expected to allow the ability to use an app to make the car come to your door, essentially a valet mode.
Also planned in that next software update is automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring.
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