TESLA SAYS CARS CAN AUTOMATICALLY STOP FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS

After testing on public roads, Tesla is rolling out a new feature of its partially automated driving system designed to spot stop signs and traffic signals.

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The update of the electric car company’s cruise control and auto-steer systems is a step toward CEO Elon Musk’s pledge to convert cars to fully self-driving vehicles later this year.

But it also runs contrary to recommendations from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board that include limiting where Tesla’s Autopilot driving system can operate because it has failed to spot and react to hazards in at least three fatal crashes.

In a note sent to a group of Tesla owners who were picked to test the stoplight and sign recognition feature, the company said it can be used with the Traffic-Aware Cruise Control or Autosteer systems. The feature will slow the car whenever it detects a traffic light, including those that are green or blinking yellow. It will notify the driver of its intent to slow down and stop, and drivers must push down the gear selector and press the accelerator pedal to confirm that it’s safe to proceed.

The company warns in the note obtained by The Associated Press that drivers must pay attention and be ready to take immediate action “including braking because this feature may not stop for all traffic controls.”

The note says that over time, as the system learns from the fleet on the roads, it “will control more naturally.”