Tesla launches software update with Version 8.0

Tesla launches software update with Version 8.0

By
Zapmap
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Tesla has launched the latest update for its operating system, with version 8.0 rolled out over the air for Model S and Model X customers. The new v8.0 software incorporates upgrades to Tesla’s Autopilot, and improved media and navigation functions.

The headline news is the Autopilot improvement, which sees the driver assistance system rely more on the car’s radar systems than its on-board cameras. Following on from reports in July of the first reported death of a driver using an activated Autopilot system, the technology’s safety has been called into question to a greater degree than previously.

Now though, the car’s on-board radar systems can ‘see the world’ better, creating a 3D picture of its surrounding environment. By comparing several frames of ‘radar snapshot’, the car can determine not only where an object it, but whether it is moving, it’s speed, and the path it is on. The Autopilot system will also safely disable itself when safety warnings are ignored.

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Other improvements see the mapping system able to expand to the whole screen, with a control bar fading away when not needed, an improved zoom function, navigation home or work with a single swipe, and dingle tap of voice command destination search.

This last improvement is part of an overall voice command upgrade which is quicker and simpler to initiate, and offers feedback in the form of a transcript to confirm your command.

The media player has been redesigned too to personalise it for the driver’s favourite content at the forefront of the selectable options, while the search function is improved too, in particular for streaming radio channels and live stations.

The final major change of the update is Cabin Overheat Protection, which is primarily a safety measure that stops the car’s interior from getting too hot for the likes of children and pet. This is able to keep the car’s cabin at a safe temperature for hours, even with the car turned off, thanks to Tesla’s large battery packs.

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