Elon Musk: Tesla owners will be able to drive cars with phones

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.Joe Skipper/Reuters

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday via Twitter that an upcoming software update will 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, will arrive in around six weeks.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday via Twitter that an upcoming software update will 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, will arrive in around 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, then moves the vehicle into the chosen spot.

Read more: I tried Tesla’s Autopilot for the first time — and it was nerve-racking at first

The forthcoming updates follow the introduction last week 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 semi-autonomous 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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