Tesla Says New Autopilot Would Likely Have Prevented Fatality

Tesla Motors Co. Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Sunday the automaker was updating its semi-autonomous driving system Autopilot with new limits on hands-off driving that likely would have prevented a fatality in May. Musk said the update, which will be available within a week or two through an "over-the-air" software update, would rely foremost on radar to give Tesla's electric luxury cars a better sense of what is around them and when to brake. New restrictions of Autopilot 8.0 are a nod to widespread concerns that autopilot lulled users into a false sense of security through its "hands-off" driving. The updated system now will temporarily prevent drivers from using the system if they fail to respond to audible warnings to take back control of the car. "We're making much more effective use of radar," Musk told journalists on a call.