Elon Musk: Tesla summon upgrade is coming

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.Mark Brake/Getty Images

• Tesla owners will be able to summon their vehicles with their phones “from across the continent” in a few years, CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday via Twitter.
• “You can summon your Tesla from your phone. Only short distances today, but in a few years summon will work from across the continent,” he said.
• Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether any restrictions will be placed on long-distance use of the summon feature.

Tesla owners will be able to summon their vehicles with their phones “from across the continent” in a few years, CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday via Twitter.

“You can summon your Tesla from your phone. Only short distances today, but in a few years summon will work from across the continent,” he said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether any restrictions will be placed on long-distance use of the summon feature.

The summon feature allows Tesla owners to move their vehicles forward or backward over short distances. 

Read more: I tried Tesla’s new Autopilot feature that helps navigate during highway driving to see if it’s helpful — here’s the verdict

Musk has said Tesla owners will be able to control an increasing number of driving functions with their phones. In early November, he said an upcoming software update would allow Tesla owners to drive their cars with their phones in some situations.

“Car will drive to your phone location & follow you like a pet if you hold down summon button on Tesla app,” Musk said.

“Also, you’ll be able to drive it from your phone remotely like a big RC car if in line of sight,” he added.

Musk said the update to Tesla’s AutoPark feature, which allows vehicles to park with limited driver assistance, would arrive in about six weeks. The update will also give Tesla vehicles the ability to find and choose parking spots without driver assistance, Musk said. Currently, the feature identifies possible parking spots for drivers to choose and then moves the vehicle into the chosen spot.

The forthcoming updates follow the introduction in October of a new Autopilot feature, called Navigate on Autopilot, that can recommend lane changes, navigate transitions between highways, and take exits, with driver supervision. Autopilot can also keep a car in its lane and adjust its speed based on surrounding traffic, among other features.

In early October, Consumer Reports released its rankings of four semiautonomous driver-assistance systems. The publication ranked Autopilot second, behind Cadillac’s Super Cruise. Autopilot received the highest rating for capability and performance and ease of use but received the lowest rating for keeping drivers engaged.

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