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Tesla Model S EVs now come with lane departure, speed assist AI

When a car's built on such a technology-heavy platform like the one used by Tesla Motors, there are going to be a lot of bells and whistles. More of those little "noisemakers" are being rolled out, as previewed by a new software update. What's most interesting to anyone paying close attention to the slow evolution of the Model S is that the new features are not going to be possible without new components. Tesla Model S sedans will likely need a new camera mounted on the front mirror, but it's not for selfies. Instead, it's there to keep the driver from having too much of a lead foot or straying into another lane thanks to the electric vehicle's software and hardware update that adds Lane Departure Warning and Speed Assist. Other luxury vehicles have long had lane departure warnings, but if you're unfamiliar with the idea, it's when the car emits a vibration through the steering wheel to let the driver know to straighten out if one of the wheels crosses a lane divider. Speed Assist lets the car use a combination of new camera and GPS system to record a particular road's speed limit. At that point, there are a number of signals, including a gray line on the speedometer or an audible chime, to warn the driver that he or she is running the risk of attracting the attention of a Smokey (for you Burt Reynolds fans) and a possible speeding ticket. Tesla has released an official statement that says: Starting recently, some Model S being delivered in North America come equipped with two new features. The features are lane drift detection, which will deliver a warning via vibration in the steering wheel if the driver starts to drift from the lane without signaling, and speed limit display, which will inform the driver of the speed limit and alert them when it is exceeded. These features are necessary to meet the latest standards in the European market, but we have decided to integrate them into Model S delivered worldwide. Whether these features will be an option or included standard is not yet known, but Tesla has said that it is not possible to retrofit the new tech into existing vehicles. The new technology is also vital to make autonomous driving possible.

That time Elon Musk got a speeding ticket showing off the Tesla Model S to Johnny Depp

Transcendence is a Johnny Depp vehicle that opens at movie theaters this weekend. The Tesla Model S is a Elon Musk vehicle that easily transcends the speed limits. What do these two seemingly unassociated facts share in common? A speeding ticket. It seems a few cast members of the sci-fi film – which is not at all remotely anything like The Lawnmower Man – including the aforementioned Depp, were being given an on-road demonstration of the all-electric sedan by the automaker's CEO when they were pulled over for speeding. According to a report in the Sun tabloid, Musk visited the set where he was introduced to Depp by director Wally Pfister. This led to the trio, along with co-stars Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany, all piling into the car for a bit of a joy ride. Apparently, Musk got a little too joyous with the accelerator and they were soon pulled over by an officer of the law, who was neither star-struck nor amused by the antics of the assembled celebrities. Depp is quoted as saying, "Elon had a good sense of humour about it. The cop did not. He needed a humor chip. But it was a good time, nonetheless." We don't know if the excursion led to any Model S sales, but we can say that the prolific movie star definitely enjoyed the adventure. "I had one of the best experiences I've ever had," Depp said. While we (sadly) don't have footage from the incident to share, you can scroll below for the official trailer from Transcendence. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Toyota takes aim at Musk's criticism of hydrogen 'fool cells'

Tesla's Elon Musk has called hydrogen fuel cell cars "a load of rubbish" and "fool cells," and he's nowhere near alone in his disdain for the technology. Toyota has been fighting back waves of condescension for years now, and did so again when Senior VP Bob Carter took the stage at the recent J.D. Power Automotive Summit this month. His target was comments that Musk made at the Automotive News World Congress at the Detroit Auto Show, when Musk said an FCEV was an "extremely silly way" to store energy, that "the best-case hydrogen fuel cell doesn't win against the current-case battery" and that hydrogen's failings will become obvious in the next few years. Carter's response was that the fuel cell initiative isn't about the next few years. "This is not a 24-to-36-month play, but when you start looking into the 2020s," then you can see the necessity of hydrogen fuel cells, which Toyota considers an extension of EV technology, he said. The Toyota Mirai will begin its defense of the FCEV industry in the US later this year. The Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell is already available in California and Honda's hydrogen car will arrive in 2016. Until then, we can let some more of Carter's words ring in our ears: "If I was in a position where I had all my eggs in one basket," he said of Musk's BEV-only focus, "I would perhaps be making those same comments." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Green Tesla Toyota Electric Future Vehicles Hydrogen Cars toyota mirai fcev bob carter