It's like magic, but I live in Los Angeles where nobody uses their signals and that's why this new Tesla patent filing is especially exciting. The way that Tesla envisions it working is that the car detects the driver's intent to change lanes or make a turn by using the Autopilot hardware at its disposal, it then works to sense if there are other vehicles nearby and if it detects them, it puts the signal on for the driver.
– Activating a turn signal takes just a flick of the finger, but that simple move apparently is too much for lots of drivers out there. A new patent filing by Tesla seeks to change that. The company envisions an automated signal, one that senses when a driver is getting ready to turn and activates the blinker on its own, reports CNET. What Electrek finds surprising about the patent application is that it appears to be designed for use with human drivers, not with self-driving cars. The technology stems from Tesla's Autopilot function. (A Tesla in Canada managed to fly, sort of.)