In today’s Bulldog wrapup of science and technology news:

  • Tesla’s new software automates parking – and more
  • Apple News app is off to rocky start, says WSJ
  • Lilly’s slow start to 2016
  • Lumosity is fined for “brain training” games

The details:

  • Tesla software update allows self-parking, limits speed

Some Tesla Motors vehicles can park themselves without a driver inside with a software update beamed to customers over the weekend.

The update also puts new speed limits on Tesla’s semi-autonomous Autopilot mode and makes several enhancements, including automatically slowing when the car is approaching a curve and keeping the car in its lane even when the lane markings are faded.

CEO Elon Musk said the parking feature is a “baby step” toward his eventual goal: Letting drivers summon their self-driving, self-charging cars from anywhere using their phones.

“I actually think, and I might be slightly optimistic on this, within two years you’ll be able to summon your car from across the country,” Musk said on a conference call with reporters. “This is the first little step in that direction.”

For now, though, the system isn’t truly autonomous.

“It’s more like remote-control parking,” Musk said.

Owners must line up their Model S sedan or Model X SUV within 33 feet of the space they want it to drive or back into. They must then stand within 10 feet and direct the car to park itself using the key fob or Tesla’s smartphone app. The car can also exit the spot when the driver summons it. If it’s going into a home garage, it can also open and close the garage door.

Tesla says the system is helpful for tight parking spots, but cautions that it should only be used on private property since it can’t detect every potential obstacle. The car could hit bikes hanging from a garage ceiling, for example.

The software update also puts new speed limits on Tesla’s semi-autonomous mode. The car will now only drive at or slightly above the speed limit when the Autopilot mode is being used on residential roads and on roads without a center divider. If the car enters such an area in Autopilot mode, it will automatically slow down.

Musk said he’s not aware of any accidents caused when a Tesla was driving in Autopilot mode, but he thinks the change won’t be a problem for owners.

“On roads without a center divider, where there’s potential for a more serious collision, it makes sense not to go more than five miles per hour above the speed limit,” he said.

The updates will go into about 60,000 vehicles, including Model S sedans made after September 2014 and the new Model X SUV.

  • Wall Street Journal: Apple News is off to rocky start

Apple’s News app is drawing many major publishers and millions of readers – but just how many are reading is something Apple concedes it doesn’t know.

“The company mistakenly has been underestimating the number of readers using the News app since its launch, and passing that inaccurate information on to publishers,” WSJ reported Monday.

“Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, said the company missed the error as it focused on other aspects of the product. The company didn’t explain how the problem occurred or say exactly when it might be rectified.”

Read the details at:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-news-app-is-off-to-a-rocky-start-1452474159

  • Lumosity to pay $2M to settle deceptive ad allegations

The developer of Lumosity “brain training” games will pay $2 million to settle federal allegations that it misled customers about the cognitive benefits of its online apps and programs.

The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday the company’s advertisements deceptively suggested that playing the games a few times a week could boost performance at work, in the classroom and even delay serious conditions like dementia. Under the settlement, Lumos Labs must contact its customers and offer them an easy way to cancel their subscriptions.

  • Drugmaker Lilly’s 2016 forecast misses Street expectations

Eli Lilly stock took a tumble recently after a lower-than-expected 2016 forecast on Wall Street after wrapping up a year in which its stock soared above the broader market.

The drugmaker said that it expects adjusted earnings in the new year to range between $3.45 and $3.55 per share, excluding charges like deal integration costs. It predicts revenue of between $20.2 billion and $20.7 billion.

Analysts forecast, on average, earnings of $3.65 per share on $21.36 billion in revenue, according to FactSet.