Tesla Model S owners can now summon their cars

UK owners of the Tesla Model S can now use the company’s ‘Summon’ function, which allows the car to park itself in a garage at the end of the day, or drive itself out to greet you in the morning.

Introduced in the US late last year, a recent change to UK legislation means that the new software can now be used on British soil. As with the semi-autonomous ‘Autopilot’ functionality – and many other upgrades introduced across the Model S’s lifetime – the ‘Summon’ function can be downloaded to owners’ cars over a 3G data network.

Using ‘Summon’ once you arrive home, and providing you’re on private land, the car can be prompted to open your garage door, enter the garage, park itself and shut down. Similarly, in the morning the system will open the garage door and bring the car out to greet you. In broader scenarios, it also eliminates the problem of squeezing into and out of tight parking spots.

Tesla Model 3 previewed ahead of March reveal

Tesla labels ‘Summon' as being at ‘beta stage’ but says the car will eventually be able to "drive anywhere across the country to meet you, charging itself along the way”. It will also sync with your calendar to know exactly when to arrive. The release of this Version 7.1 software is the next step towards Tesla’s ambitious plans for fully autonomous driving capabilities.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s hotly anticipated Model 3 will be revealed later this month, rivalling the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It is expected to have a range of 200-300 miles and be priced from around £35,000.