The world of machines is one that is constantly evolving, and mostly for the better. Because the
more advanced that machines get, the more precise they can be, the more work they can do, and the
less risk to the people that pilot them. But for machines like cars, they are something that NEED
to have a human pilot in control. Or at least, for now they do. Because various people and companies
are trying to make it so that the cars can drive themselves. And Elon Musk is very much on board
with that concept, and is trying to implement it in various ways with his Tesla cars. Allow us to
show you How Tesla's Self-Driving Autopilot Works! 7. What Is Autopilot?
That is a good question. Because hearing that someone like Elon Musk wants self-driving cars
on the roads and that Autopilot is his plan to make that happen
can convey different things to different people. So, let's have Tesla go ahead and
describe it all for you: "Autopilot is an advanced
driver assistance system that enhances safety and convenience behind the wheel. When used properly,
Autopilot reduces your overall workload as a driver. 8 external cameras, a radar,
12 ultrasonic sensors and a powerful onboard computer provide an additional layer of safety
to guide you on your journey. Cars built between September 2014 and October 2016 include one camera
and less-powerful radar and ultrasonic sensors." In short, it's like many other cars on the road
today in that the Tesla vehicles are able to monitor the road and help you when you
make a small mistake or don't see something on the road. But it does go beyond that,
with their "Full Self-Driving Capability" the car can also be summoned to your location
despite it being far away, be able to identify street signs and stop lights,
help you get onto off-ramps or even give you lane suggestions and more. Though there is a catch:
" The currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle
autonomous. The activation and use of these features are dependent on achieving reliability
far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as
regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As these self-driving
features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates."
If you can't decipher the lingo, that means that there is some things that it can't do as of yet.
But, Tesla is hoping that this will be upgraded over time so that it can 100% be a fully
functioning self-driving program. 6. Safety Features Of Autopilot
Tesla cars are known for their safety features. They constantly and consistently
get 5-star safety ratings and the Autopilot also brings more safety to the list. Including.
• Automatic Emergency Braking: Detects cars or obstacles that the car may
impact and applies the brakes accordingly • Front Collision Warning: Warns of impending
collisions with slower moving or stationary cars • Side Collision Warning: Warns of potential
collisions with obstacles alongside the car • Obstacle Aware Acceleration:
Automatically reduces acceleration when an obstacle is detected in
front of your car while driving at low speeds • Blind Spot Monitoring: Warns when a car or
obstacle is detected when changing lanes • Lane Departure Avoidance: Applies corrective
steering to keep your car in the intended lane • Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance:
Steers your car back into the driving lane when it detects that your car is departing
its lane and there could be a collision Now, some of these are standard in other
car models, but it's still no less impressive. Especially since some of these features can save
your life on the road, and Tesla didn't have to go and implement them at all.
But they're doing it because they want people to feel as safe as possible in their cars,
and if the cars themselves can help steer them towards safety?
Then more power to them, right? 5. Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
Easily one of the more interesting aspects of the Autopilot feature that is coming (it's still in
beta apparently) is to detect and understand the upcoming stop signs and stop lights.
"Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control identifies stop signs and traffic lights and automatically
slows your car to a stop upon approach while using Autopilot, with your active supervision.
When Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control (Beta) is enabled, the driving visualization displays
upcoming traffic lights, stop signs or road markings at intersections where
your car may need to stop. As you approach an intersection, even if the traffic light is green,
your car will display a red line to indicate where the vehicle will stop and the vehicle will begin
to slow. At this time, Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control does not turn the vehicle, whether
you are in a turn lane or have your blinker on." That last line is key because it indicates that
they are planning to make it to where you CAN go and turn it just with your car doing the work.
Don't knock the stop light/stop sign thing though too. Because as we all know, people sometimes go
and decide to run red lights or accidentally get distracted and miss stop signs. So by having an
alert when one is spotted, or by having the car stop the vehicle on its own power to prevent an
accident...your safety and wellness go up. 4. Smart Summon
Earlier, we talked about having the car come right to you, it's called
"Smart Summon" and here's how it works: " Smart Summon is designed to allow your
car to drive to you or a location of your choosing, maneuvering around and stopping
for objects as necessary. Like Summon, Smart Summon is only intended for use
in private parking lots and driveways. You are still responsible for your car and must
monitor it and its surroundings at all times and be within your line of sight because it may not
detect all obstacles. Be especially careful around quick moving people, bicycles and cars.
To activate the feature, press and hold the COME TO ME button. Alternatively, tap the target icon,
set the target destination of your choice by adjusting the map, and then press and hold the
GO TO TARGET button. You can stop your car from driving at any time by releasing the button.
Smart Summon works with your Tesla app and your phone’s GPS to operate. You must be
within approximately 200 feet of your car to use. Smart Summon requires the latest version
of the Tesla mobile app (3.10.0 or later)." To be fair, this is honestly a small step towards
a self-driving car, but it's a meaningful step. Because the car is coming to you under its own
power, and as a result, it's self-driving. So now imagine it doing that everywhere,
and not just in a confined parking lot? 3. Autopark
A now classic feature in many cars, Autopark is exactly what you think. It'll go and park your
car for you, with some Tesla touches of course: " If your car sees a parking spot, a grey 'P' icon
will appear on the left or right hand side of your instrument panel, depending on the location of the
space. Autopark detects parallel parking locations when driving below 15mph and perpendicular parking
locations when driving below 10mph. To use Autopark at that time,
press on the brake and shift the gear selector into ‘Reverse.' Keep your foot on the brake.
‘Start Autopark’ will appear in blue text on your touchscreen – press this to start the
feature and release the brake and steering wheel. Autopark will then begin to maneuver
the vehicle into the parking space by controlling your cars speed, gear changes and steering angle,
but you should remember to be alert and monitor the backup camera view to check for obstacles.
Once Autopark is complete, the car will let you know it is complete and shift into ‘Park.'
You can override Autopark at any time by taking control of the steering wheel."
It's smart for Tesla to have this given that many other car brands have it as well.
Every little bit helps in terms of quality. 2. Navigate On Autopilot
Another feature in beta currently is that of "Navigate On Autopilot",
here is the description of that: " Navigate on Autopilot is designed to get you
to your destination more efficiently by actively guiding your car from on-ramp to off-ramp,
including suggesting and making lane changes, navigating highway interchanges, and taking
exits. It’s designed to make finding and following the most efficient path to your destination even
easier on the highway when Autopilot is in use." While still in beta, it will be yet another useful
feature when the time comes. 1. In Conclusion...
Now that you know all about Autopilot and its various features,
what does this prove about what Elon Musk is trying to do with his cars?
It means that Tesla is trying to make the most advanced cars on the planet, so much so
that they're testing all sorts of interesting and new features to make the cars safer, more
reliable and more efficient. Which if you think about it, is the overall goal of Tesla itself.
Is Autopilot fully functioning yet? No. But when it does, it'll be the next great achievement for
Tesla, and it will further indicate why they are the car company of the future.
So what do you think? What do you think of this look at Tesla's Autopilot program
and how it's a baseplate for what self-driving cars might honestly be? Do you think that Tesla
will get the program going soon enough and thus allow self-driving cars onto the roads themselves?
Or do you think there are still some kinks in the system that need to be worked out? Let us know
in the comments below, be sure to subscribe and we'll see you next time on the channel!