Tesla has just rolled out a new software update for Autopilot. This new version of the automated driving system notably improves the effectiveness of regenerative braking.
Tesla has just rolled out a new software update for Autopilot. This new version of the automated driving system notably improves the effectiveness of regenerative braking. For those who are not familiar with this technology, know that it has been democratized within hybrid and electric vehicles for several years now.
The principle is simple: before the activation of the mechanical brake, the electric motor of your vehicle takes care of converting deceleration and/or braking into an electric current which will be stored directly in the battery. Thus, the driver can gain up to a few tens of kilometers of additional autonomy depending on the situation. Note that some regenerative braking includes a function that can bring the vehicle to a complete stop, this is called one-pedal driving. It is precisely this system that we find at Tesla.
Read also: Tesla raises the price of its self-driving car again
Better use of regenerative braking with Autopilot
It also earned a big scare for this young driver who almost lost his driver’s license because of this system. At Tesla, regenerative braking also comes into action when Autopilot is activated. The automated driving system controls this automatically when using traffic-dependent cruise control. Autopilot uses both regenerative braking and mechanical braking, but it is always possible to improve this balance for greater efficiency.
This is precisely what Tesla seeks to do with this new software update 2022.04. Via this patch, the‘Autopilot will make more use of low-speed regenerative braking. Here is the description of the changes made by the manufacturer: “Autopilot will now make more use of low-speed regenerative braking for greater efficiency and an improved driving experience, especially in stop and go traffic. Increased use of regenerative braking results in less brake pedal noise and smoother stops.”
At this time, the rollout of this Autopilot software update has just begun. It will take several days, even several weeks, to complete its distribution. As a reminder, a man who caused a terrible accident with the Autopilot activated has been charged with manslaughter by the American courts. A historic decision.
Source: Electrek
