Tesla promises "auto-steering" update to Model S; adds range assurance app

Most software updates aren't news — but then the Tesla Model S isn't like most vehicles.

Today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed a set of enhancements to the all-electric luxury sedan that will begin showing up in all owners' cars over the next 10 days, thanks to the free cellular data connections in every Model S — with a promise of more revolutionary changes to come.

The first update, to version 6.2 of the Model S software, will add two features that Musk says should ease any concerns about range anxiety. The first, called range assurance, updates the car's ability to reach the nearest Tesla charging point every 30 seconds, based not just on the vehicle but the status of the company's Supercharger points. If it senses that a vehicle is about to travel too far, it alerts the driver, much like the low-gas light on traditional cars.

"The software update effectively makes its impossible for a Model S driver to run out of range," Musk said. "It's basically impossible to do that unless you’re doing it intentionally."