Tesla’s Autopilot Speed Limit Matching Tightened … But To Be Partially Loosened Again (#ElonTweets)
Tesla’s Autopilot has historically allowed the driver to adjust the car’s speed to +/- 5 mph off of the posted speed limit. Apparently, though, that was recently modified and the driver could no longer do so … but the option will be partly returned with a coming update.
Will be restored soon where there is a lead vehicle, ie you are being overtaken a lot due to true traffic speed being higher than the sign
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2016
As you should be able to see in the tweet above, Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted that there’s a fix coming shortly so that the tighter speed limit controls are loosened again when traffic is moving higher than the posted limit.
But why, in the first place, did the company make it so that Autopilot users now have to travel only at the posted speed limit (when not in heavy traffic) rather than allowing +/-5 mph off of the posted limit?
Elon responded again on Christmas Eve to explain. He stated (when questioned again) that there were no major events that spurred the change, simply that “people in general were going a bit too fast on winding roads.”
No major precipitating event, but people in general were going a bit too fast on winding roads
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2016
To be extra clear on that last point, people can still drive as fast as they want around winding curves (e.g., in the mountains) if they want to, but they now have to stick to the speed limit on Autopilot … for obvious reasons.
So, those with a death wish, no worries, just don’t ask your car to drive itself like it has one.
On a not much related note, in another tweet on Christmas Eve, Musk seems to have put his interest in an electric jet aside for now…
Brain is full right now and that's a hard one
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 24, 2016
Also, Roadster fans hoping for a refreshed version anytime soon, don’t hold your breath.
Some years away, but yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2016
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