New update lets Tesla cars detect traffic cones

San Francisco: Electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla is introducing a software update that will help the cars see and respond to traffic cones while in autopilot mode, according to media reports.

Tesla vehicles are already equipped with sensors and boast of machine learning (ML) systems to detect most objects found on highways. However, they are unable to detect cones that are used to close off lanes for safety or traffic management reasons.

With the latest update, the car's autopilot visualisation system would be able to detect traffic cones on the road, Slash Gear reported on Sunday.

This small yet important addition would allow both car and driver to see what's on the road as visualised in the system's display, the report added.

The EV maker asks drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel even with the autopilot mode on.