Are Driverless Cars Safe? Elon Musk Says Tesla Will Roll Out Self-Driving Feature In 'About Three Weeks' Despite Recent Crashes

Drivers heading home for the holidays may be tempted to avoid Tesla vehicles this year, especially on icy roads, as the automaker plans to roll out its self-driving feature late next month. But there appears to be some confusion surrounding the technology's actual capabilities. After his company announced on Oct. 19 that all of its models made after that date would be equipped with self-driving hardware, Tesla founder and chief executive Elon Musk confirmed over the weekend that the automaker would "incrementally" activate the technology in "about three weeks." The rollout of the "Enhanced Autopilot" feature comes less than six months after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary investigation into the automated system to see whether it led to the fatal Florida crash of a 2015 Model S in May. The investigation prompted watchdog and advocacy organization Consumer Reports to urge Tesla to disable the software and "require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel."