Tesla to unveil plans for a driverless car aimed at the luxury market

By Glen White
Tesla saw a peak in shares on Monday following rumors it will be announcing plans to create a self-driving car this week.The electric vehicle manufactur...

Tesla saw a peak in shares on Monday following rumors it will be announcing plans to create a self-driving car this week.

The electric vehicle manufacturer’s shares (TSLA) closed at $260.62, up 21 percent or $5.41.

If the rumors are to be believed, Tesla will be announcing a new raft of high-tech features this week, including a system that will help its cars stay in lane, unassisted by the drivers. The move, if true, is a smart one, due to the fact that Tesla needs to remain ahead of the curve if it wants to continue to compete with the likes of Mercedes and Audi – both of which have also recently launched driverless features into their high-end model vehicles.

Similarly to Audi and Mercedes, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has spoken out in favor of a system which takes over functions of a vehicle during cruising mode, as opposed to features that handle the total driving functions at all times. Tesla is not looking to create a car like Google, but rather develop driver-assisted functions to improve driver experience and safety.

The question, however, will be whether Tesla has come far enough in adopting new technologies that could be precursors to a driverless car. Honda, for instance, just introduced a system that keeps the vehicle in its lane for the new CR-V, a mass-market crossover. Some luxury cars already have them.

Tesla sells only high-priced luxury cars, vehicles where drivers expect them to come loaded up with high-tech goodies. Tesla has sent invites for an Oct. 9 event. The invitation shows a garage door with a giant "D" on it and a Tesla Model S peeking through.

Share

Featured Articles

Safeguard Global’s CTO Duri Chitayat on AI in Manufacturing

Duri Chitayat, CTO of Safeguard Global, discusses AI in manufacturing, driving innovation and transforming the sector with technology

ProGlove & topsystem Revolutionise Logistics Solutions

ProGlove & topsystem team up to elevate data capture in manufacturing. Pierre Mikaelsson, CPO at ProGlove, tells us more about innovations in automation

Car Manufacturers Urged to prioritise Inclusive Driving

Matthew Walker of ABC Mobility Group says car manufacturers must ensure disabled drivers’ independence is not compromised by new cybersecurity regulations

Digitising Supply Chains for Due Diligence & Trade

Procurement & Supply Chain

GTK: IoT, Sustainability & Touchscreen Tech in Manufacturing

AI & Automation

Jabil: Insights on Sustainable Manufacturing Progress Report

Sustainability & ESG