Autopilot 2.0 will finally let Tesla cars see traffic lights and stop signs

A recent fatal crash (source: The New York Times) involving a Tesla Model S and the side of a tractor trailer has placed Tesla in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. First, Musk placed the blame on the driver and the fact that the trailer was white. Second, he failed to disclose the accident to the NHTSB (National Highway and Transportation Safety Board) until after the sale of $2 billion of Tesla stock.

@alansmurray Yes, it was material to you -- BS article increased your advertising revenue. Just wasn't material to TSLA, as shown by market.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2016

Details have now emerged of Autopilot 2.0, an update to the current version of Autopilot in Tesla cars that will hopefully address the severe limitations of Autopilot. Reports indicate that Autopilot 2.0 will use a dual-camera setup on the front. TechnoBuffalo also reports that finally, the upgraded hardware will be able to identify and respond to stop signs, traffic lights and indicator lights. And yes, Tesla's Autopilot couldn’t do that before.

The current version of Autopilot cannot stop by itself. It only responds to vehicles in front of it.

Other upcoming updates to the platform include the ability to automatically take an exit when activating the turn signal, a more responsive Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and a massive update to the UI. Media and voice controls have also been updated as well.

TechCrunch has expressed a certain degree of trepidation with regards to the rollout of updates. They point out that many owners didn’t receive updates for a year or more. Those who pre-ordered the Tesla Model S before September 2014, when Autopilot was announced, did not even get Autopilot.

Since Autopilot 2.0 will use an entirely new set of sensors and systems, it’s unlikely that current Tesla owners will get the update. Hopefully, the Tesla Model 3 will come with the system pre-installed. Especially for those who pre-ordered it.

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