Musk: Tesla Self Driving Autopilot Chip Coming in 2019

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the long-awaited self-driving chip for the company’s Autopilot system will arrive in spring 2019.

The more powerful chip will unlock the Full-Self Drive Mode, according to Musk’s Twitter account, and owners who prepaid for the chip when ordering their car will get it free of charge when it releases. Any other owner will be able to purchase the new chip for $5,000. Additionally, buyers who pre-order the system get a discount instead of paying full price when it officially releases.

Tesla’s in-house chip is designed to power a neural-network artificial learning system. The system gathers data from all Tesla drivers running Autopilot 2 hardware that will teach the Full-Self Drive Mode. It’s the first chip designed to run the artificially learning networks.

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However, Tesla faithful shouldn’t expect the system to suddenly make their cars a hands-free ordeal. Musk previously said the Full-Self Drive Mode will instead be limited to on-ramp to off-ramp freeway driving to start. As the company develops the system, it’s features will expands. The system may be similar to Cadillac’s Super Cruise technology, which only works on divided highways.

~6 months before it is in all new production cars. No change to sensors. This is simple replacement of the Autopilot computer. Will be done free of charge for those who ordered full self-driving.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 16, 2018

What isn’t clear is if the new self-driving mode will become available this spring, or if Tesla will simply launch the new chip. The automaker hasn’t said whether there will be a delay in the rollout yet.

A version of this story originally appeared on Hybrid Cars.