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Tesla experience center in Shanghai, China Photo: VCG

Tesla Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has begun rolling out software updates for Chinese Tesla car owners in stages, introducing an Autopilot feature for urban roads, which is said to enhance the existing Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) driver-assistance system.

With the software updates, it will guide Tesla cars to exit ramps and intersections according to the navigation route. At intersections, the system recognizes traffic lights and can proceed straight, turn left or right, or make U-turns. It will also automatically change lanes according to the speed and the selected route. If no navigation route is set, it selects the optimal path based on real-time road conditions. 

The updates also include the cabin camera, which is located above the rearview mirror and can assess whether the driver is attentive and give a warning to the driver on the road when the Autopilot system is activated. 

Tesla noted that all cabin camera footage is processed locally within the vehicle. Neither Tesla nor any external party can access the data.

The updates also include a new map package version.

The announcement follows a report by Bloomberg that Tesla is preparing a software update for its Chinese customers to offer driver-assistance capabilities similar to those marketed as the Full Self-Driving in the US market, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Global Times