Tesla Motors has inched closer towards automated driving after unveiling features that allow its electric sedan to park itself and sense dangerous situations.  The company also said it would launch an all-wheel drive option of the Model S that can go from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds without compromising efficiency. The car is like a “personal rollercoaster”, the Tesla chief executive, Elon Musk, said.  Tesla’s announcement had been eagerly anticipated since Musk tweeted last week that it was “about time to unveil the D and something else”. Musk revealed on Thursday that “D” stood for “dual motor”, meaning Tesla’s all-wheel drive vehicle would have a motor at either end of the chassis to increase control.  In addition, he said the Model S contained the hardware for an “autopilot” feature. The model also included a long-range radar, image recognition so the vehicle can sense things such as stop signs and pedestrians, and a 360-degree ultrasonic sonar.  The car can self park in a garage, turn on the air conditioning before a trip and detect obstacles. Musk cautioned, however, that the autopilot function was not fully autonomous and would not allow a driver to fall asleep at the wheel.  The new features would give Tesla momentum while consumers waited for the launch next year of its third vehicle, the crossover SUV Model X, said one industry analyst. “Until the Model X arrives, a vehicle that will substantially amplify Tesla’s appeal and volume potential, these upgrades should keep the Model S at the forefront of advanced personal transportation,” said Karl Brauer at Kelley Blue Book, a vehicle research firm.  Car makers are racing to develop features to allow vehicles to apply brakes automatically. However, manufacturers say the transition will be evolutionary, with features added over many years.  Elsewhere in the motor industry, Google is developing the technology for a driverless car, and General Motors said last month its Cadillac brand would introduce two novel designs: a car in 2016 that could communicate with others on the road, and another vehicle that incorporated semi-automated hands-free driving technology.
Tesla chief Elon Musk accelerates move towards automated driving with car that can turn on air conditioning and ‘see’ obstacles