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Musk Teases Tesla Autopilot Upgrade

"Looks like significant improvements possible via [over-the-air] software update," Musk wrote on Twitter.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Elon Musk took to Twitter Sunday evening to tease updates to Tesla's troubled Autopilot feature.

Nextcar Bug artThe CEO said he had a "promising" call with German technology supplier Bosch, which makes the radar sensor used in the company's Autopilot system. "Looks like significant improvements possible via [over-the-air] software update," Musk wrote.

He went on to thank both Bosch and camera supplier MobilEye for their "help and support in making Autopilot better," and said all criticism for Autopilot-related incidents should be directed at Tesla.

The company's Autopilot feature has come under fire in recent weeks after a man named Joshua Brown died when his Tesla—operating in Autopilot mode—collided with a tractor-trailer truck on a Florida highway. Tesla claims its Autopilot system was not at fault for the crash, though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating.

Musk didn't share any other details about the possible upgrade, as he was busy last night and early this morning with his other company, SpaceX, which successfully landed another rocket back on Earth. He did, however, have time to address a recent call by Consumer Reports for the feature to be disabled:

Meanwhile, we should soon hear more about a "Top Secret Tesla Masterplan" Musk alluded to last week. This morning, Musk tweeted that he was back to work on that.

Tesla added Autopilot functionality in October via a software update, but it stressed that the feature was not fully functional. Drivers still need to be in the driver's seat with their hands on the wheel, Tesla said at the time. Not everyone has paid attention to those instructions, though.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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