Tesla’s semi-autonomous feature ‘Navigate on Autopilot‘ is getting a lot better with the addition of automatic lane changes.
The company’s Twitter account sent out a notice on April 3rd that details how Navigate on Autopilot will allow the vehicle to change lanes automatically.
The post outlines the three new modes drivers can select before they enable the semi-self-driving function. Drivers can choose from three new settings in the Navigate on Autopilot settings menu: ‘Enable at Start of Every Trip,’ ‘Require Lane Change Confirmation’ and ‘Lane Change Notification.’
Enable at Start of Every Trip means that every time a Tesla owner enters a route that supports Navigate on Autopilot, like a highway for example, the feature will engage when they turn on the regular Autopilot. To make this work the driver needs to make sure they have their route plugged into the vehicles navigation system.
Drivers can either select ‘No’ or ‘Yes’ if they open the Require Lane Change Confirmation setting. If the driver chooses No then the vehicle will change lanes on its own. If the driver decides Yes then the car will need approval from the driver to change lanes.
Introducing a More Seamless Navigate on Autopilothttps://t.co/lXRdjTJ1q1
— Tesla (@Tesla) April 3, 2019
Drivers who want to be notified when a potential lane change is coming up can choose the Lane Change Notification setting from the Navigate on Autopilot menu.
Choosing ‘No’ means the vehicle will change lanes on its own. Selecting ‘Yes’ mean that drivers receive both a visual and auditory notification to let them know the car is about the change lanes. Additionally, all Teslas made post-August 2017 will have the option to have their steering wheel vibrate as well.
“These notifications are meant to provide drivers with the opportunity to check their surroundings and determine whether they want to cancel the lane change before it’s made. Cancellations can be made by moving the car’s turn signal or by pressing the lane change cancellation pop-up notification on the car’s touchscreen,” reads Tesla’s blog post.
The company also notes that the car won’t change lanes unless it detects the driver’s hands on the wheel.
This setting is available to drivers who purchased ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ and drivers who have the ‘Full Self-Driving Capability’ package.
The company states that these settings will start rolling out to Tesla owners in the U.S. starting today and will come to other countries in the future “pending validation and regulatory approval.”
Ontario should be ready for this update, but it’s unclear if Tesla will wait for approval from all provinces before activating level-three autonomous features.
Source: Tesla
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