Tesla has announced a new, free over-the-air Model S update that aims to combat electric vehicle driver “range anxiety” with a number of new navigation features.
The latest 6.2 software, created by Tesla’s software engineers, will be able to communicate with the company’s Supercharger network and alert drivers to which stations are busy or full.
Tesla say the new Range Assurance feature will “address perception of range anxiety” and “warn you if you are driving beyond the range of a charging station,”.
The electric car will continually monitor and advise owners when they are at risk of driving beyond the range of reliable charging locations.
The update also includes a Trip Planner that will will select a route to minimize driving and charging time.
Additionally, 6.2 has Driver Assistance features that are designed to intelligently anticipate and react to potentially dangerous situations.
Since the unveiling of autopilot in fall 2014, Tesla has pushed a number of active safety features to Model S via wireless software updates that enhance the safety of Model S and bring Tesla closer to rolling out full autopilot capabilities to vehicles on the road.
Automatic Emergency Braking
This new Collision Avoidance Assist feature automatically engages the brakes to reduce the impact of an unavoidable frontal collision. Automatic Emergency Braking will stop applying the brakes when the driver presses the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, or sharply turns the steering wheel.
Blind Spot Warning
Blind Spot Warning assists the driver to change lanes safely. When Model S is travelling between 20 mph and 85 mph and detects a vehicle in the driver’s blind spot, a white arc will appear on the instrument panel near the bottom of the speedometer. If a collision with the vehicle becomes likely, two red arcs will appear, the steering wheel will vibrate, and the driver will hear a chime.
Tesla say that the Model S is the only vehicle on the road that improves with time. This announcement certainly reaffirms Tesla as the leader of innovation in the automotive world.
Tesla, Gizmag
