Valentine Extravaganza: Red Roses In Maroon Tesla Model S (With Disclaimers)Valentine Extravaganza: Red Roses In Maroon Tesla Model S (With Disclaimers)

The “Summon” feature now available on the Tesla Model S has been hailed as an important technological breakthrough on the long march to fully autonomous cars.
But apparently there’s a romantic side to this technology as well.
If you’re still stumped about what to get your significant other this Sunday, why not load up a Model S with 100 red roses, a bottle of Cristal, and an iPad–and have it dramatically appear at the tap of a smartphone screen?
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The U.K.-based flower retailer Arena Flowers recently released a video showing this creative use of Summon to provide a Valentine’s Day surprise, complete with soulful French music.
Allowing a car to pull out of a parking spot autonomously to meet its driver, the feature is viewed by some as a step toward a future of self-driving cars.
It certainly looks like a sufficiently grand gesture, but this stunt comes with a few disclaimers.
2016 Tesla Model S
Summon isn’t actually available in Europe, and wasn’t active on the cars used in this video.
And if you live in the U.K. and are planning to place an order with Arena Flowers, please note that the company can’t hook you up with a Model S. Only Tesla can do that.
Summon became available to U.S. owners last month as part of Tesla’s Version 7.1 software update.
ALSO SEE: Tesla Says Autopilot Self-Driving Will ‘Revolutionize Your Commute’
Like the previous “Autopilot” autonomous-driving feature, it’s only compatible with cars built after August 2014, when Tesla began adding the necessary hardware.
Using a smartphone app, owners can prompt a car to open a garage door, enter the garage, park, and shut down.
Drivers can then, err, summon their cars when needed. Tesla believes the whole process will save owners time, and eliminate the hassle of getting in and out of cars in tight parking spaces.
2016 Tesla Model S
Tesla Motors considers the system still to be in beta testing, and asks that owners use it only on private property.
That’s likely a precaution against the somewhat thorny liability issues surrounding autonomous cars on public roads.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes regulations will be more of an impediment to fully-autonomous cars than technology.
MORE: Tesla Autopilot: The 10 Most Important Things You Need To Know (Oct 2015)
He’s said Tesla will be able to build a car that can drive itself within a few years, but that it may take more time for regulators to accept it.
Still, Summon does let you deliver a Valentine’s Day surprise in a way that wouldn’t have been possible last February 14.
If you have the budget, the private property, and the roses, that is.
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