All Teslas in production now have hardware for full self-driving

What if “electric car” also automatically meant “self-driving car”? Tesla has announced that, as of today, all factory-produced Tesla vehicles – Model S, Model X, and Model 3 – will come with the hardware required for full self-driving capability.

Features aiding the self-driven fleet include an upgraded onboard computer, eight surround cameras that provide 360-degree visibility up to a 250 meter radius around the vehicle, ultrasonic sensors, and forward-facing radar that helps see through heavy rain, fog, and dust – as well as the car in front.

Tesla’s Model S and Model X cars with this technology are already in production.

Before the new hardware’s features are activated, Tesla will further tweak the system, meaning new Teslas may temporarily not have access to features available on the company’s current autopilot hardware, such as automatic emergency braking, collision warning, and cruise control. After calibration, they will be enabled through downloadable software updates. In addition, the features will have to pass local regulation.

Companies like Google and Faraday Future have been gearing up to produce their own self-driving cars, while driverless taxis hit the roads in Singapore in August. Uber launched its own driverless service in the US in September.