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Which Teslas Have Autopilot?
In the last few years, Tesla has been working to develop a self-driving car. The first car with an autopilot driving system was the Tesla Model S. It was released in September 2014 as the first-ever Tesla with Autopilot.
The autopilot feature allows Tesla vehicles to drive themselves with less input from the driver. Key autopilot features include forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, semi-autonomous driving, and automatic emergency braking, to name a few.
This means that all current Tesla models have Autopilot. Nearly all Model 3 and every Model Y vehicle includes Autopilot too. Below is a detailed chart of every Tesla with Autopilot and which Autopilot System is included.
Do All Teslas Have Autopilot?
Tesla has been in the news recently, and many people wonder if all Teslas have autopilot mode. They all don’t have it, but most of the newer models include an autopilot feature.
The autopilot system is designed to be hands-free and keep the car in its lane while driving on highways. However, it still needs the driver's attention when driving in urban areas or navigating tricky intersections.
Tesla Autopilot is a system that lets you drive without worrying about the steering wheel, gas pedal, or brakes. It uses cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and a forward-facing sonar sensor to see what is going on around the car.
Tesla Autopilot is not an autonomous driving system. It's a driver assistance system that can help keep your car in its lane and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Tesla's Autopilot will not steer or brake for you under any circumstance.
What Can Tesla Autopilot Do?
Tesla autopilot has made incredible improvements since its first ever release in 2014. There are four autopilot systems, including Autopilot 1.0, Autopilot 2.0, Autopilot 2.5, and Autopilot 3.0.
We will explain what each can do and how they are different below.
Autopilot Hardware 1.0
Autopilot Hardware 1.0 was the first launch of this feature in Tesla vehicles. It is now known as Highway Autopilot, and once you update your Tesla to the latest software version (10.2), the name change occurs.
Autopilot 1.0 was included with all Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X vehicles built between September 2014 and October 2016. The design is a bit outdated, with a simple interface.
Some of the key features include
- Autosteer
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Automatic landing changing with turn signal
- Lane Departure Warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blind spot warning
- Autopark
- Summon
This system includes a single front-facing camera, and the rear backup camera works well, but it isn't hooked up to the Autopilot feature.
The Bosch radar comes with a 525-foot range, and there are 12 sonar sensors with a 16-foot range. This radar acts as the Autopilot sensors that make the key features possible, like detecting traffic for changing lanes.
Autopilot Hardware 2.0
The Autopilot Hardware 2.0 system was created and released in October 2016 and lasted in new Tesla vehicles until August 2017. This was the first-ever upgrade with key configuration changes and many new features.
The key to this upgrade was increasing Autopilot’s range and accuracy by adding seven new cameras. The new design included:
- Eight total cameras with three front-facing models.
- Two side cameras.
- Two side-rear cameras.
- One rear camera.
This eight-camera configuration still exists today in each of the four Autopilot Hardware systems. The added coverage gives drivers a visible angle for all angles around the vehicle.
The other focus of this upgrade was the computing functionalities. The new Bosch radar provided a 525-foot range, and the 12 Sonar Sensors came with an upgraded 26-foot range.
The new computer system included a Nvidia Parker System-on-Chip and Infineon TriCore CPU. This increased processing speed to move eight times faster.
Autopilot Hardware 2.5
The Autopilot Hardware 2.5 system was created and released in new vehicles starting in August 2017 up until March 2019.
This new system is designed to make driving safer and easier for drivers, which is why it has been welcomed by many Tesla owners who are interested in using the autopilot feature but are concerned about their safety.
The cameras remained the same, but the sensors became even better. This included a Continental Radar that provides up to a 558-foot range and 12 Sonar Sensors with a 26-foot range.
This was an incremental upgrade, as you can tell by the name. The increased computing was a step toward Full Self-Driving capabilities, which can be seen more in the next upgrade.
Autopilot Hardware 3.0
The Autopilot Hardware 3.0 system was launched in March 2019 and currently stands as the most current Autopilot system in all new vehicles.
This Autopilot system is designed to act with Full Self-Driving features too. It includes the same camera and sensor setup from the previous version, but instead of a third-party computer system, there are two Tesla units.
This was done to allow for previous Autopilot 2.0 and 2.5 vehicles to upgrade the system to access the same features. It can be done by purchasing the Full Self-Driving package.
This upgrade initially cost $1,500, but a recent price decrease has made it more available to drivers for only $1,000. This upgrade cost was controversial by the public, claiming the fee was excessive.
However, the new computer upgrade gives you much faster processing speeds and all self-driving features.
About The Author
Charles Redding
I've spent many years selling cars, working with auto detailers, mechanics, dealership service teams, quoting and researching car insurance, modding my own cars, and much more.
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