---
title: "Elon Musk Says A Major Tesla Update is Coming Next Week"
description: "The 8.1 update will feature an advanced hardware 2 platform dedicated to delivering fully autonomous driving to consumers."
date: "2017-03-24"
modified: "2017-03-24"
authors:
  - name: "Abby Norman"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/abby"
url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-says-a-major-tesla-update-is-coming-next-week"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
  - "Elon Musk"
  - "Future Society"
  - "Tesla"
  - "The Industrialists"
tags:
  - "autonomous driving"
  - "elon musk"
  - "tesla model 3"
---

# Elon Musk Says A Major Tesla Update is Coming Next Week

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/tesla.png>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tilburg-netherlands-september-25-2016-panoramic-490051246?src=Sdv_1WBYjghLQ8SMhAmBlw-1-54" target="\_blank"\>shutterstock\</a\>\</em\>*

[Tesla Motors](<https://www.tesla.com/>) is at it again by pushing the energy-efficient, all-electric envelope even further. After [breaking records](<https://futurism.com/a-tesla-just-broke-a-world-record-for-speed-twice-in-one-day>), [building solar farms](<https://futurism.com/tesla-unveils-an-enormous-solar-farm-to-replace-1-6m-gallons-of-fuel-a-year>), and [remapping the global auto industry](<https://futurism.com/report-asserts-that-teslas-cars-are-taking-over-the-world>), the company still has plenty in store. Primarily because the company has been teasing consumers with its [8.1 ](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-hints-that-tesla-updates-will-soon-lead-to-level-4-autonomy>)[update](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-hints-that-tesla-updates-will-soon-lead-to-level-4-autonomy>)[ for several months](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-hints-that-tesla-updates-will-soon-lead-to-level-4-autonomy>) now, heightening [anticipation with each passing day](<https://electrek.co/2017/03/12/tesla-8-1-update-elon-musk-autopilot-2/>).

The 8.1 update will feature an advanced [hardware 2 platform](<https://futurism.com/elon-musk-every-tesla-car-will-be-fully-autonomous-by-2017>) dedicated to delivering fully autonomous driving to consumers — a goal that the company has been determined to [achieve by the end of 2017](<https://futurism.com/3-elon-musk-and-tesla-are-going-to-change-everything-in-2017>). Several updates that were expected to be in 8.1, like improvements to [Autopilot 2.0](<https://www.tesla.com/autopilot>), were actually released as enhancements to the 8.0 software. Additional updates expected include: a new Linux kernel upgrade to Tesla's operating system, AI improvements like Autosteer beta version, forward collision warning, and traffic-aware cruise control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeUE4kHRpEk

## Will Autonomous Driving Save Lives?

Autonomous vehicles have been met with limited acceptance in society for a few reasons, mostly to do with autopilot technology. Most people understand that autonomous vehicles mark an important milestone in recent human history in terms of technological advancement, but [people are still concerned](<https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/108384?show=full>) about safety when it comes to getting behind an autonomous vehicle — let alone buying one.

But the data is quite clear: autonomous vehicles can actually save lives. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safet Administration (NHTSA) estimated that in 2014, over 32,675 people died in car crashes, costing the government almost $400 billion (2% of our national GDP). [The analysis shows that 90%](<http://www.techtimes.com/articles/67253/20150728/driverless-cars-safe.htm>) of these crashes were directly caused by "driver error." If 100% of vehicles on the road were autonomous, it's predicted that [fatalities would decrease from 95 to 99.99%.](<http://www.techtimes.com/articles/67253/20150728/driverless-cars-safe.htm>) Another benefit with an intelligent autopilot is that it would accelerate and brake the vehicle efficiently, gradually [reducing a ](<http://time.com/4476614/self-driving-cars-environment/>)[vehicle's](<http://time.com/4476614/self-driving-cars-environment/>)[ environmental impact.](<http://time.com/4476614/self-driving-cars-environment/>)

Tesla's plan to implement fully autonomous driving by 2017 is ambitious, but it may be possible with the update to 8.1 — all while saving lives and the environment.