Car manufacturer Tesla Motors recently announced that it will release a software update on some of its cars that will allow them to park themselves without the need for a human driver behind the wheel.
The upcoming software update from Tesla Motors is intended for the Tesla Model X and Tesla Model S cars. The new feature is dubbed "Summon" by Tesla and users can activate and control it through their smartphones or by simply pushing a button on their Tesla key.
By using the Summon feature, Tesla car owners can unlock their vehicle, turn own the car's engine, open the garage door and back it out into the driveway. All these features are integrated within the car's software and will function without the need of a human driver behind the wheel.
Tesla car owners who received and downloaded the update ahead of the others have posted videos on several website highlight the new feature. The new Summon feature is described as an update or extension of the Tesla autopilot feature which allows Tesla cars to drive itself on selected freeways requiring only minor assistance from a human driver.
Tesla is also planning to expand the Summon feature in the future. In a statement acquired by Quartz, Tesla founder Elon Musk said, "In two years you'll be able to summon your car from across the country. If your car is in New York and you are in Los Angeles, it will find its way to you."
Prior to the opening of the 2016 Detroit Motor Show, Musk demonstrated the feature that will allow car owners to summon their cars even if it is miles away by a mere tap on their smartphones. The feature is also believed to sync in with the user's calendar which will allow the car to know the exact date and time or its arrival.
According to CNBC, the ambitious goals set by Tesla might face serious hurdles when it comes to regulatory permit. It is important to note that not all US States share uniform laws and rules when it comes to self-driving cars.
Aside from Tesla, a handful of auto and tech companies have already announced their intentions of developing their own self-driving cars. These companies include Google, Volkswagen and BlackBerry.