Tesla adds HOV automatic recognition function to improve autonomous driving software

According to foreign media reports, Tesla will add a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) automatic recognition function. When it detects that the vehicle is carrying two or more passengers, the Navigate on Autopilot system can automatically allow the vehicle to use the carpool lane.

In 2018, the "High Occupancy Lane" (HOV Lane) function was officially launched in Tesla's V9 software update, with the aim of allowing drivers to determine whether the car is eligible to use the HOV lane while using the Navigate on Autopilot function. Navigate on Autopilot (which allows Tesla cars to enter and exit highway ramps and change lanes automatically based on vehicle speed and the destination entered in the navigation system) is a feature in Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" software, which is now available on Model 3, Model S and Model X models.

However, Tesla YouTube blogger Quinn Nelson suggested that Tesla use seat sensors to confirm whether there are passengers in the car and automatically turn the switch button on and off so that the driver does not have to operate manually.

The "High Occupancy Lane" (HOV Lane) feature allows the Navigate on Autopilot feature to direct the car to use the carpool lane on highways when there is space. Without this feature, Tesla cars can avoid such lanes altogether. Nelson's idea is to have the car seat sensors automatically identify the passengers in the car to turn on the HOV feature. Although carpool lanes are usually reserved for vehicles with two or more passengers, some states in the United States have confirmed that electric vehicles are "exempt" from this regulation.

According to the United States Department of Energy, HOV decals are placed on cars that don't use gasoline or diesel as their primary power source in order to "encourage customers to purchase certain types of vehicles, such as alternative fuel vehicles, that further reduce emissions from travel." Electric car owners can apply for HOV decals from the Department of Motor Vehicles if their state determines that such cars are "exempt" from the rule.

Tesla hopes that the HOV automatic recognition feature will further facilitate drivers who use the Navigate on Autopilot feature. Tesla currently offers Navigate on Autopilot on Model 3, Model S or Model X for $6,000. Recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the price of Navigate on Autopilot will increase by $1,000 on November 1, 2019 due to the addition of new features, such as the popular Smart Summon feature.

Autonomous driving is an important frontier for the intelligent and networked automotive industry. Tesla, as a leading player in the electric vehicle field, does not want to miss out on this piece of cake.

Tesla has been making frequent moves in autonomous driving recently. On the one hand, Tesla's fully autonomous driving has begun to take shape, and on the other hand, Tesla also plans to continuously upgrade and update existing functions. In addition to the HOV lane planning function, Tesla also plans to upgrade the smart summon function.

But compared with the bustling field of autonomous driving, what is more easily overlooked is that intelligence has actually been reflected in all aspects of transportation, such as ETC and logistics systems, which have not only been implemented but are also advanced enough in technology and management methods.