Tesla's Autopilot feature gives its cars semi-autonomous capabilities.

While driving with Autopilot activated, a Tesla vehicle can regulate its speed, change lanes, and park without driver assistance.

Tesla customers can buy the Autopilot feature for $5,000.



Tesla's Autopilot feature has become the subject of controversy after a Model S crashed into a fire truck on January 22 while possibly using the feature. The National Transportation Safety Board and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will investigate the incident.

While Tesla's Autopilot system is not supposed to replace a human driver yet, it can help drivers navigate highways and parking lots, and the company says every vehicle currently being produced in its factory has the hardware for complete, autonomous driving that could be activated when the necessary software and government regulations come into place.

Here's what Tesla's Autopilot feature can do now, and what it might be able to do in the future: