This article was published on October 15, 2015

Look ma, no hands: Watch a Tesla in Autopilot mode tackling NYC traffic


Tesla’s Model S sedan has got an update to its software that lets it automatically steer, switch lanes, parallel park, and help keep you from crashing. And from the looks of things, it seems to work pretty darn well.

The latest version doesn’t make the Model S an entirely autonomous vehicle, but it does take most of the stress out of getting through traffic, as Jalopnik found while testing the car’s Autonomous Level 2 system in New York City traffic.

The instrument cluster turns into a visualization of the road ahead and the car uses a radar, camera and ultrasonic sensors to keep you moving safely towards your destination without any untoward incidents. However, you’ll still need to manually make navigational turns and can’t interpret traffic signs.

Jalopnik notes that while the Model S isn’t yet a 100% self-driving vehicle, the new software update brings a near-perfect cruise control mode — and for commuters, that’s a godsend.

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