Tesla Autopilot Now Follows Speed Limits Thanks To Latest Update

Tesla has released the 8.0.2 update to its Autopilot system roughly three months after the release of the 8.0 update. One of the key features introduced will now make Tesla's self-driving cars more law-abiding.

Prior to the update, Tesla's driver assistance technology allows its passengers to crank up the maximum speed of the vehicle while using Autosteer. The feature, which is part of the Autopilot's Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, enables the car to zoom past the speed limit by as much as 5 mph.

Tesla's Maximum Speed Cap

The update will now impose a cap, preventing drivers from exceeding the speed limit on roads and non-divided highways. Interestingly, this does not seem to cover highways as the software did not trim the existing 90 mph cap.

At this stage, some grumblings from unhappy customers are already expected. There is no shortage of these whenever Tesla rolls out updates designed to fine-tune its EV's technology as well as improve overall passenger safety in the wake of previous controversies involving the driver assistance system.

According to Electrek, a number of Tesla vehicle owners consistently balk at measures to limit the system with the idea that Tesla is taking away capabilities and technologies that they had already paid for. The new maximum speed cap complements recently introduced safety measures such as the more persistent Autopilot nags. These are notifications that involve the so-called Hold Steering Wheel notifications, which alert drivers when to resume manual control of the vehicle.

Other Software Features

Aside from the new speed cap, the system will now allow drivers to create profiles according to specific key fobs. Once it detects a key, for instance, it can set the seats and the steering wheel according to the preferences identified with a profile. Other notable changes include the ability to display the amenities available in a Supercharger facility such as stores, Wi-Fi hotspots, restaurants, and restrooms, among others.

More News On The 8.1 Update

The 8.1 firmware, on the other hand, is expected to include the so-called Enhanced Autopilot, which takes advantage of the Tesla vehicles' autonomous driving sensors and onboard computing power. This particular technology has already shipped with Tesla's latest EVs. Elon Musk has previously announced that Tesla will miss the projected mid-December rollout for the rest of Tesla vehicles. He maintained, however, that his engineers are working seven days a week to wrap things up soon. Given its current drive to expand production, it seems Tesla needs more manpower to deliver on its promises.