Tesla’s electric cars continue to get more futuristic.
Over the weekend the company announced a new software update for the Model S and Model X that enables the vehicles to park themselves in their owner’s garage, as well as get themselves ready to go for a drive.
Dubbed “Summon” by the company, the function works through an owners’ smartphone or a button on their Tesla key. Summon will unlock the vehicle, power it up, open the garage door, and back the car out into the driveway—all without a driver being in the car. The car can also park itself back into the garage and power down without a driver.
A few Tesla owners have posted videos on YouTube demonstrating the feature in action.
Summon is an extension of Tesla’s Autopilot feature, which enables the car to drive itself on most freeways, with some assistance from the driver at the wheel.
While Summon’s use is fairly limited right now, Tesla founder Elon Musk says that it will get more advanced in the near future. “In two years you’ll be able to summon your car from across the country,” he told reporters on a conference call. “If your car is in New York and you are in Los Angeles, it will find its way to you.”