📖 The Quick Answer
Autopilot uses a forward camera plus several other cameras around the car (and on pre-2023 cars, ultrasonic sensors) to keep the car centered in its lane and match the speed of the vehicle in front. The driver must keep hands on the wheel and be ready to take over at any time. Autopilot is not self-driving.
⚙ How It Works (Sensors and Algorithm)
Modern Tesla vehicles are vision-only, using eight surround cameras plus the in-cabin driver-monitoring camera. Older vehicles (built before 2022) also have a forward radar and ultrasonic parking sensors. Tesla AI processes camera feeds on a custom inference computer (HW3 or HW4) to detect lanes, vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, traffic lights, and signs. Standard Autopilot is limited to lane centering and ACC. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) adds intersection handling, lane changes, on/off ramps, and Navigate on Autopilot.
🛡 What It Protects Against
Highway rear-end collisions, lane departures, and driver fatigue. Tesla publishes a quarterly Vehicle Safety Report claiming Autopilot-engaged miles have significantly lower crash rates than US average, though independent researchers debate the methodology.
⚠ Limitations and When It Fails
Tesla Autopilot is Level 2. It is the driver-assist subject of the most NHTSA investigations of any ADAS system, including issues with stationary-vehicle detection, emergency-vehicle scenes, and driver-attention enforcement. After 2023, Tesla added a steering-column driver-monitoring camera and tightened nag enforcement. Like all camera-only systems, Autopilot can be confused by glare, heavy rain or snow, and faded lane lines.
🚗 Which Vehicles Have It
Every Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. Standard Autopilot is included free. FSD (Supervised) is a one-time purchase or monthly subscription.
🔧 Related TSBs and Recalls
NHTSA recall 23V-838 affected over 2 million Teslas for improved driver-attention enforcement, addressed via OTA software update in December 2023. Multiple ongoing NHTSA investigations.