What's it like to drive with Tesla's Autopilot and how does it work?

Tesla's Autopilot is in the spotlight after a fatal crash. Samuel Gibbs used it when he drove to France in a Model S - here's how he found the experience of driver assistance

Tesla's Autopilot has been thrown into the spotlight after a fatal crash involving a Model S which was under the control of the car's driving-assist system.

Autopilot, a feature for both the Model S and the newer SUV Model X, is a combination of two technologies. The first is adaptive cruise control, which is a common feature to high-end cars. The second is Autosteer, in other cars called lane departure assistance.