Tesla is reportedly capping its Autopilot maximum speed at the posted limit when Autosteer is in use.
A new update, rolling out incrementally in monthly releases, forces the semi-autonomous vehicles to more closely follow the rules of the road.
Before, drivers could set the speed of Autopilot's Traffic-Aware Cruise Control feature to up to 5mph over the fastest speed allowed. Now, according to Electrek, it's not possible to travel faster than the speed limit.
This restriction applies on roads and non-divided expressways where the car's lane-keeping Autosteer mode is applicable. It does not, however, pertain to Autopilot's use on divided highways, where the 90mph global cap still applies, Electrek said.
The 8.1 software update harnesses hardware that's embedded in the latest Model S and Model X vehicles rolling off the assembly line, including eight cameras for 360-degree visibility at up to 250 meters, 12 ultrasonic sensors for detection of hard and soft objects, and a forward-facing radar capable of seeing through heavy rain, fog, dust, and even cars ahead.
In fact, Tesla chief Elon Musk on Thursday suggested "most of Autopilot functionality" should be ready for primetime "towards the end of next week."
Looks like we might be ready to rollout most of Autopilot functionality for HW2 towards the end of next week
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 23, 2016
Once the software is ready, Teslas will be capable of fully autonomous driving, or "Level 5," as it's called in the industry. Levels one through four refer to cars that can drive themselves in certain situations, but typically require humans to be ready to take over at any moment.
Tesla did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
The luxury automaker came under fire recently when Autopilot was blamed for a deadly crash in Florida, among other incidents. A separate software update that rolled out in September was intended to assuage concerns by switching to a radar-based self-driving system and prompting drivers to be more attentive behind the wheel.
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It also included a significant overhaul of the vehicle's touch screen, as well as the biggest UI revamp since the Model S launch.
Radar was added to all Tesla vehicles in October 2014; Autopilot technology was introduced at the same time, but not activated for another year.
Now, the feature—which uses cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and data "to automatically steer down the highway, change lanes, and adjust speed in response to traffic"—will set you back $3,000 when ordering a new Model S or X (or $3,500 after delivery). Tesla in August quietly increased the price of Autopilot by $500, a 20 percent increase from its old price of $2,500.