Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead will dominate TV for years

Fans of genre television rejoice -- Game of Thrones is likely sticking around for at least two more years, while The Walking Dead may linger for as long as its undead threat.

Although the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones is about to overtake the source material in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the ground-breaking and perennially popular fantasy series is likely to be ploughing ahead for at least another three years.

Back in 2014, HBO showed extreme confidence in Game of Thrones' future when it committed to renew the series for not one but two new seasons. With the second of those premiering on 24 April, it looks as though the production network will repeat the move, seeing the show through to at least season eight.

As reported by Hollywood trade site Deadline, HBO president Michael Lombardo has said the network is in discussions with series creators and executive producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss, and that a multi-year pickup is likely. American broadcasters are usually incredibly cautious over such matters, but with Game of Thrones constantly setting viewing records (and other, less salubrious milestones), it's not hard to see why HBO is keen to keep the show going.

Whether season eight brings the end of the television side of the saga remains to be seen though. At the Television Critics Association tour in July 2015, Lombardo said "David and Dan are feeling there's probably two more years after season six [...] we hope that they would change their minds, but that's how they are feeling now."

With Martin yet to complete book six, The Winds of Winter, let alone the planned finale, A Dream of Spring, the showrunners will likely be creating their own ending, however long it runs. Martin confirmed via his LiveJournal that progress on Winter had stalled, and that season six would air before the book's release.

Sky Atlantic has announced it will be airing Game of Thrones season six in the UK in sync with the US, with a simulcast at 2am on the morning of 25 April for fans who just can't wait, followed by a more reasonable 9pm screening for those who enjoy sleep.

DON'T MISS
Watch China's offical Star Wars: The Force Awakens music videoWatch China's offical Star Wars: The Force Awakens music video
Meanwhile, AMC's The Walking Dead may have many more seasons ahead of it. In fact, speaking to Vulture, network chief Charlie Collier and head of programming Joel Stillerman indicate the zombie survivalist drama may be as open ended as the comics that inspire it.

"The answer to how long the show will go on in some way is directly correlated with the health of the storytelling in the comics," said Stillerman. "Those comics are firing on all cylinders. [Creator Robert Kirkman] still writes every line of dialogue in those books, and is as engaged as he was when I think he was sitting around in Kentucky writing the first issue. That is very much part of the DNA of the show. He sort of felt like, in real life, this goes on for a very long time. We're along for that ride."

"I will tell you we are not actively talking about the end of The Walking Dead," added Collier. "We're talking about how to keep this number one show on television feeling as fresh as it does in season six. As a brand, we're very sensitive to making sure that every aspect of it feels fresh and original, and that it's not treated in any way that's derivative or taken for granted. Our planning is current and future-focused, and it is not focused on the end at this time."


The show is currently in the middle of its sixth season, and still several years behind the events of the comic. AMC also doesn't rule out further explorations away from the source material, such as this year's original Fear the Walking Dead mini-series. The dead may keep walking for a long time yet.

Tesla Model S Can Now Drive Without You

Well, authorities in Hong Kong aren’t going to like this one bit. Back in November, they told Tesla to remotely disable its semiautonomous driving technology until they can confirm that the features, released in mid October, are safe. They were concerned (sort of understandably) by widely reported hijinks by drivers who were using Tesla’s new Autopilot software to shave and sit in the backseat of the car, among other things.

Tesla complied. That doesn’t mean the company isn’t moving forward at full speed, though. Today, it released version 7.1 of its software for the Model S and X that includes a “Summon” feature that enables the car to drive itself without anyone inside.

More specifically, using their key fob, Tesla owners can now direct their cars to park themselves in a spot within 39 feet, and to drive themselves into and out of their parking garages.

In a nod to safety concerns, the company has also now restricted its Autosteer technology on residential roads and roads without a center divider. When Autosteer is engaged on a restricted road, Model S’s speed will be limited to the speed limit of the road, plus an additional 5 mph.

The site Electrek was first to publish the news. Tesla says the following in its release notes for v7.1:

Autosteer is now restricted on residential roads and roads without a center divider. When Autosteer is engaged on a restricted road, Model S’s speed will be limited to the speed limit of the road plus an additional 5 mph. When entering such a restricted road, Model S will reduce its speed if necessary and will do so even if you increase the cruise control set speed.

Tesla says that Autosteer’s lane keeping has been improved near highway exits and when the lane markings are faded.

Autopark features in the Tesla Model S have been updated with a ‘beta’ version of its Summon feature as well. Here’s how it works:

To prepare to park your vehicle, align Model S within 33 feet of the final parking space so Model S can move straight into the space in either Drive or Reverse. With Model S in Park, stand within 10 feet of the vehicle and press and hold the center button on your key fob until the hazard lights flash continuously. While the hazard lights are flashing, press the frunk button once on the key fob to drive Model S forward into the parking space or the trunk button once on the key fob to back Model S into the parking space. Model S will move up to 33 feet or until the sensors detect an obstacle, at which point parking is considered completed and Autopark will shift the car to Park. Repeat the process above to use Summon to exit a parking spot remotely.

You can cancel the procedure by tapping the center button on the key fob. If you’ve set up your Model S with Homelink, it will open and close garage doors for you as well.

Back at an October press briefing, when Tesla’s last software update enabled cars to steer, change lanes, and park on their own, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had said he envisioned fully driverless cars.

He said then that while its still “important to exercise great caution at this early stage,” in the long term, he added, “people will not need hands on the wheel — and eventually there won’t be wheels and pedals.”

For now, the wheels and pedals remain. For the beginning and end of the drive, however, the humans are now optional.

You can check out video of the Summon feature in action here, courtesy of an undoubtedly excited Tesla owner: