Tesla's prototype Semi has a 'Mad Max' Autopilot mode

You didn't think Tesla's Semi truck would go without a Ludicrous-like software setting just because it's meant for work, did you? Sure enough, it exists. Elon Musk has revealed that the prototype electric cargo hauler has a Mad Max mode. No, this won't give the Semi a battering ram or a flame-spewing guitar -- rather, it influences Autopilot's blind spot threshold. Musk didn't elaborate on what that meant, but his photo of the settings page suggests the semi-autonomous driving feature will make lane changes with even more gusto than the "aggressive" option.

Don't count on this making it to the finished truck. In a follow-up chat, Musk suggested the Semi will probably have a manual override for "hardcore lane changes," since a self-driving vehicle will "always yield" to others. The Mad Max option might be a temporary feature to see how Autopilot's lane-swapping skills fare when pushed to the limit. You probably wouldn't relish the thought of a giant semi-truck coming within a few feet of your car without any human involvement. Nonetheless, it's good to hear that Tesla hasn't abandoned its sense of whimsy.

Via: Autoblog

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter 1), (2)



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