INTERNATIONAL - Tesla's top boss Elon Musk said in a series of tweets on Wednesday that the company expects to release a significantly improved version of its full self-driving technology within the next two to three weeks.
Subscriptions to the software for the system would be offered within a month, Musk said in a Twitter exchange without elaborating further.
The news is just a week after the company told California's Department of Motor Vehicles that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by the end of this year.
Tesla has released what it describes as a beta version of its full self-driving program to a limited number of employees and customers since October. Musk has touted the capability on Twitter.
Musk's tweets also said Tesla's "Smart Summon" feature would be available by the end of this year in Europe, along with its full self-driving technology.
The Smart Summon feature, which is already available in the United States, allows drivers to use a phone app to summon their vehicle in a parking lot provided the car is within 200 feet and in their line of sight.
The technology enhancement comes amid growing scrutiny over Tesla's semi-automated driving system following recent accidents.
REUTERS