Tesla's Supercharger stations will soon feature autonomous parking, according to Elon Musk's latest announcement.
Tesla is making strides in autonomous driving technology, as demonstrated by a recent video showcasing the company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system navigating a 7-hour, 362-mile trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles without any driver intervention.
The video, shared by Tesla, highlights the potential of FSD for long-distance driving without human intervention. Spaceflight photographer John Kraus, a longtime FSD user, asked Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, about the reliability of automatic parking at Superchargers. In response, Musk confirmed that automatic parking at Superchargers will work essentially perfectly with future software updates.
Currently, Tesla's Autopark feature can autonomously guide a vehicle into open public parking spots, but it is limited to backing into parking spots or parking in parallel spaces. The company is working on improving this feature at Superchargers, which is crucial as Tesla prepares for automated charging and the launch of its Robotaxi service.
The new Supercharger Autoparking feature would take things a step further. It would allow a Tesla to autonomously locate and park at an available charging stall, streamlining charging sessions, especially at busy locations or in tight parking layouts. The feature would presumably build on Tesla's existing Autopark feature.
Tesla's software-first approach means these capabilities can be significantly improved over time without any hardware upgrades. This approach has already been evident in the progress made with FSD, as John Kraus praised Tesla's progress, stating that it currently does 99% of his driving. However, Kraus noted that the current automatic parking feature at Superchargers works only about 1/5 of the time for him.
The new Supercharger Autoparking mode is another incremental step toward Tesla's broader vision of full autonomy. While a specific release date for the feature has not been announced, Musk has committed to improving the Autopark feature at Superchargers. This improvement is crucial as Tesla prepares for the future of autonomous driving.
References:
[1] Tesla. (2021). Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capabilities. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/autopilot
[2] Musk, E. (2021). Elon Musk on Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/elonmusk
- The success of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in long-distance driving without human intervention emphasizes the potential impact of autonomous driving technology on the transportation industry.
- Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, confirmed that upcoming software updates will enhance the reliability of automatic parking at Superchargers, a crucial development as Tesla prepares for automated charging and its Robotaxi service.
- Tesla's new Supercharger Autoparking feature is expected to streamline charging sessions, by allowing Tesla cars to autonomously locate and park at available charging stalls, even in busy or tight parking layouts.
- Tesla's progress in improving its Autopark feature, and the upcoming Supercharger Autoparking mode, are incremental steps towards the company's broader vision of full autonomy in the automotive industry, particularly in the realm of finance and lifestyle.
