Tesla aims to end range anxiety

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk promised in a press conference today to "end range anxiety" for new and existing Model S cars. This latest bold claim comes courtesy of an upcoming over-the-air software update to the Model S.

Software Version 6.2 will constantly track the car's proximity to Tesla-dedicated charging stations along with the range left in the battery of your Model S based on terrain and other specific factors. In doing so, the car will be able to warn if a trip threatens to stray too far from a recharge opportunity. This protective service takes place even if you don't activate the navigation system.

For longer trips, when you enter a destination, the software will map out the most convenient charging locations along your route, factoring in the time you've spent on the road to coordinate charging interludes with meal and restroom breaks it anticipates you might need.

The car constantly communicates with Tesla Superchargers to determine which ones are available, so it doesn't route you to one that's occupied. When your car is finished charging, the car messages you through a smart-phone app. The system is designed to allow drivers to make cross-country trips in the Model S. Tesla calls this Range Assurance.

The new software does not actually increase the car's range. It's about better integration of Tesla's expanding network of charging stations to existing and future Tesla owners. Musk also announced a new network of 1,000 "destination chargers" across the country. They are slower than Superchargers (which can typically recharge a Model S in under an hour), but the so-called destination chargers are located at malls, restaurants, and hotels,  places travelers can find ways to occupy themselves while charging.

To improve the accuracy of range estimates, the new software even searches the Internet for information on elevation changes and wind speed and direction and adjusts is calculations accordingly.

"It's basically impossible to run out [of electricity] unless you do so intentionally," Musk said.

Read our complete Tesla Model S road test, and see the Model S in the 2015 Top Picks.

Version 6.2 will also enable several new features for those who own Teslas built since October 2014, and therefore already have the necessary hardware sensors in place. The most significant feature to be turned on is forward-collision braking, which Tesla calls Auto Braking. Similar features in other cars have been shown to significantly reduce accidents, according to recent studies. Blind-spot monitoring will also finally arrive in Teslas.

A new valet mode will limit speed and torque and restrict access to confidential information in the car's infotainment and control system, limiting joyriding and data theft risks. The software also makes improvements to the Model S's brake and accelerator feel.

Another benefit for owners of older Model S cars like ours is an update to the radio to improve reception and audio quality. We have often found ourselves thankful that our Tesla has Internet radio because its FM radio reception is so bad.

Version 6.2, with the navigation and radio updates, is in beta testing now and is expected to be released later this month. Users can schedule the update to happen when they're home and don't need to drive the car, proving again the value of a car that can get better with time via these over-the-air-software updates. After several recent dealer visits to get other cars updated, we'll be happy to let this one happen in the warmth of our own garage.

Version 7.0 preview

During the press conference, Musk also alluded to a completely redesigned driver interface in the following Model S software update, Version 7, which will also be standard in the Tesla Model X. The new interface will enable interactions with the company's coming AutoPilot, AutoSteering, and parking features. With the hardware now standard on the latest Model S cars rolling out of Tesla's Fremont, Calif., factory, Version 7 will allow drivers to summon the car to come pick them up in a private parking lot or to go find their own parking space after dropping you off. It can also steer itself on the highway. Both the Model X and Version 7 software are scheduled for release this summer.

More places to buy

In another breakthrough for Tesla, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed legislation this week allowing the company to open up to four stores in the state. The stores have been contentious in New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas, and other states, because state associations of new car dealers object to competing with a car company that owns its own retail outlets.

We will report on the 6.2 software updates, once they are made to our test car.

—Eric Evarts