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Hong Kong Bans Tesla’s Self-Driving Feature

Hong Kong’s Transport Dept. has ordered Tesla Motors Inc. to remove software that enables its electric cars to drive themselves under certain conditions.
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Hong Kong’s Transport Dept. has ordered Tesla Motors Inc. to remove software that enables its electric cars to drive themselves under certain conditions, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Dubbed Autopilot, the system enables the car to brake, accelerate, steer, change lanes and park without human intervention. Tesla released the software as a “public beta” in October.

Hong Kong regulators say the feature, which owners of Tesla Model S electric sedans can download from the Web, may not meet local safety regulations and cannot be used until it is approved by the department.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has emphasized that Model S drivers remain responsible for the behavior and control of their cars, even when using its Autopilot system. He also says the technology, which Musk says “learns” and refines its behavior when used repeatedly, is not designed to pilot the car under all conditions.

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