Tesla takes another task out of the hands of Model S owners. The latest update to the electric vehicle brings autonomous valet, which will park and retrieve a Model S at the press of a key fob.
Like autopilot itself, the remote valet is being rolled out to Tesla Model S owners over-the-air (OTA). The update also includes improvements to the autopilot features, which has been tweaked continuously as Tesla eases the world into a driverless future.
James Majerus, a Model S owner, shared pictures of the update on the Tesla Motors Club's forum. He also shared a YouTube video of the new features in action.
"You can now park Model S from outside the vehicle," the update reads. "This feature is especially useful for parking in tight spaces and narrow garages."
To leave the Model S in charge of parking, drivers will need to position the car within 39 feet of a spot. They'll also have to stand within 10 feet of the vehicle to initiate parking.
"You must stay in proximity of your vehicle and continually monitor and maintain control of it when using this feature," the update reads. "You should only use this feature on private property."
Flashing hazard lights signal it's time to release the center button of the key fob. From there, it's a matter of pressing the "frunk" button to command the car forward into a parking space or doing the opposite by pushing the trunk button to park backwards.
Tesla fleshed out Autopilot's visualizations, enabling the instrument panel to depict multiple vehicles on the road in front of the Model S. It also distinguishes vehicle types now.
Autopilot's Autosteer has been updated to perform better on highways. When planning to pass exits, Autosteer will now keep Model S cars in their current lanes. And the cars will stay in their lanes when sign markings aren't clear enough.
The update brought several other improvements to areas of the Model S beyond autopilot. Some of those include: Trip Planner, Vehicle Lock and auto windshield wiping.
Check out a video of a Model S' driverless valet guiding the car in and out of a garage:
