The driver assistance system in Tesla electric vehicles. Like most new cars, Autopilot provides adaptive cruise control, lane centering, blind spot monitoring and emergency braking, and it requires drivers to have their hands on the wheel at all times. However, unlike most cars, Tesla also provided built-in navigation using Google Maps for the touchscreen and Tesla's proprietary routing system. In 2015, the navigation was upgraded to find the best charging station based on battery level. See
automotive safety systems.
From Autopilot to Full Self-Driving (FSD)
In 2016, Tesla added FSD for a flat fee of $8,000 and a $99 monthly subscription option in 2021. Its FSD is derived from Tesla's AI-based neural networks that have been trained on billions of miles of real-time video obtained from Teslas on the road. An FSD Tesla will drive itself to a destination and park itself even in a crowded parking lot. Tesla's FSD is Level 2 (see
autonomous vehicle levels).
In 2026, the one-time flat fee was eliminated, leaving only the monthly option. However, FSD capability was added to most new vehicles for collision avoidance. Instead of just emergency braking, the vehicle is directed to drive away from a potential accident. See
neural network,
Tesla AI chips,
self-driving car and
Tesla.