Skip to main content

Tesla prevents accidents with new Auto Summon upate

Tesla releases a new software version for drivers to confirm the direction of the Auto Summon feature in an effort to prevent accidents.
Posted: May 18, 2016 - 9:50AM
Author: Jason Cobb

Earlier this week we reported about a Utah Tesla owner parked his Model S on the street only to find it had moved underneath a trailer a few minutes later. After reviewing the vehicle logs is was revealed the owner initiated the auto summon feature.

With a traditional auto manufacture that would be the end of the story. Other auto makers are limited by what can be changed on the vehicle after it leaves the factory floor. The age of the updatable vehicle is upon us and Tesla has released a new software update perhaps based on the accident event in Utah. This new version adds an additional confirmation when initiating the auto summon feature where you have to specify the direction of travel either forward or backward before exiting the vehicle.

This update forces the driver to confirm auto summon. It is impossible to accidentally start the feature and get out of your vehicle similar to the situation in Utah if you have to confirm the direction of travel after pressing the park button twice to initiate auto summon.

Many articles regarding Tesla praise the vehicle performance; 0-60 in 2.8 seconds in Ludicrous mode is certainly impressive. Other review mentioned the high tech feature such as the 17 inch touchscreen or Bio Defense Mode. I believe the best all-around feature and the feature that separates it from all other manufacture at this time is the ability to update the software OTA (Over the Air) without having to take the vehicle into the dealership. This gives Tesla the ability to update the car, make it smarter, and roll out additional new features to all owners at the touch of a button.

In essence giving the owners an amazing customer experience by updating their vehicles when they sleep and improving the vehicle years after the initial purchase. I hope more manufacturers begin providing OTA updates.

What is your opinion is the OTA feature? Should other manufacture embrace the age of the software car?