A new feature in Tesla's cars is already being billed as a "favorite" of Elon Musk the CEO of the company.
Tesla has been busy on a new software update, which arrived on Sept. 21, and one of the features helps prevent the deaths of children or pets left in overheated cars. The rollout is part of a raft of new products and the company has even hinted that a "New Solar Roof" could be unveiled on Oct. 28.
The latest update labeled Tesla 8.0 arrived to cars such as the Tesla Model S P90D. Importantly, included in it were safety features for the autopilot and also a "Cabin Overheat Protection," which can detect when the interior is overheating and ensures it does not exceed 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the update is installed, the car will be able to open vents and turn on the air conditioning to ensure the temperature remains within the set limit. This will ensure that in case a child or a pet has been left in the car unsupervised that they will not die of overheating.
A day before the update has been rolled out to compatible cars, Musk even tweeted about his "favorite new feature."
My favorite new feature is the always-on max temp control for keeping kids and pets safe from overheating.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2016
While introducing this feature is undoubtedly a good move, it is going to be immensely helpful to parents who might forget that they have children in a car and just go about their shopping. This sometimes results in death because of heatstroke, and according to data by NoHeatStroke.org, 31 children died under such situations in this year alone.
With the Tesla 8.0 update installed and selected by Tesla car owners, the battery on the car will ensure that the air conditioning keeps running for up to a period of 12 hours after the owner leaves. Additionally, this feature will work as long as the battery has 20 percent charge.
Also included in the recent 8.0 update were improved alerts to drivers when they were using the autopilot feature, which will keep them engaged and not ignore obstacles that could result in an accident.
The reliance on radar for steering through traffic has also been increased, which is a shift from using the camera. Therefore, the update is not designed to attract more customers or improve sales, but to improve cars that are currently being used by customers.
