AP/AS I finally get it

[Joe F]

Okay, old hat to AP1 owners, but for a new AP2 owner, I finally got a feel for, and appreciation of, Auto Steer today...

Given I have not traveled on any roads where doing less than 50 MPH without causing a major accident, I've only been able to use TACC up to now. I have had far too many false events with TACC that my trust using it on unfamiliar highways is as a low point.

Today I check the local traffic conditions for my wife's commute, and see there's a major backup on the PA Turnpike Westbound! Battery pack is cold so the little charging it got in the 20 minutes I kicked the charge rate up wasn't enough to help much with regen, but off I went. Not that it should matter, but heading West into a 25-30 MPH headwind, gusting over 50 MPH at times was, at these low speeds, not a factor. I did however feel the wind trying at times to push me into the other lane, but AS worked well. Never felt what I'd call major truck lust, but frankly was too engaged trying to see the big picture that truck lust wasn't an observed issue today.

While I only drove a 4 mile stretch before turning off and headed back home, over the 10 minute drive I only had to respond to the "hold the wheel" nag a few times, even though I had one hand lightly holding the wheel at all times.

From dead stops, to maybe 45 MPH, the car handled itself very well. Only complaint I had was it took a little longer than I would have in slowing down or coming to a full stop, which was rather abrupt. Could have been a regen issue, but I'm not sure.

For reference, this was on 17.5.28. I shot a boring 10 minute video with my phone, but see no need to upload it as it was unremarkable.

Tesla: Next speed bump for AP2 welcomed. Please.

 

[MarcusMaximus]

I'm starting to wonder if we AP2 owners are going to forever have a little rush of dopamine when we encounter traffic.

 

[ev-now]

. Only complaint I had was it took a little longer than I would have in slowing down or coming to a full stop, which was rather abrupt. Could have been a regen issue, but I'm not sure.

This is 'normal' - at least it is for me. I would not drive as hard towards the back of stationary traffic, or slow as abruptly. That said it worried me, but never caused a problem (AP1 BTW).

I find it amusing that AP will be accelerating towards stopped traffic, because the lane is open - yet since the latest software update it's complained at me (FCW) a couple of times while accelerating in a lane a vehicle is actively turning out of.

Pleased you had a positive experience with it. I've not used AP in strong cross-wind not sure I would have trusted it,

 

[Joe F]

This is 'normal' - at least it is for me. I would not drive as hard towards the back of stationary traffic, or slow as abruptly.

In this case I had the follow distance set to 6, and was in heavy traffic. But even at low speeds less than 30 it still seemed, to me, to take too long to start to slow. Again, it felt more like a lack of regen slowing. Will have to get a better feel for it next time, but didn't want to take my eyes off of traffic.

The other thing I didn't care for was how close it got when traffic came to a stop. I usually keep more of a distance between me and the vehicle in front of me as sort of a buffer zone, and try to pick a lane where there's a wide enough shoulder to use as an escape route. Was rear ended over 30 years ago so that is kind of ingrained now. Would love to see the stop distance a settable value...

 

[johnkelner]

I am new to AP2 hardware having tested an AP1 in December of 2015. The speed of approach to stopped traffic at a setting of 7 is alarming and wasteful. It is clear to me that the brakes engage and not all of the slow down is regen. It does not appear that a setting of 6 or 5 makes it much worse. It is just jarring to me and my passenger when approaching stopped traffic from a distance. It does not behave like this in bumper to bumper traffic when the distance is shorted to close - it does not push to close the gap so aggressively even at a setting of 3 or 4. This REALLY should be adjustable as noted by Joe above. I like the drive at '7' in all other respects when 'crazies' are not on the road. I imagine the programmers have lots on their plate and this is not a 'deal breaker' for AP. Hopefully they monitor these forums and note the comments.

While I am 'complaining' can we get an adjustment of seconds to auto-lock. 20 seconds is WAY too long.

 

[ev-now]

The other thing I didn't care for was how close it got when traffic came to a stop. I usually keep more of a distance between me and the vehicle in front of me as sort of a buffer zone, and try to pick a lane where there's a wide enough shoulder to use as an escape route. Was rear ended over 30 years ago so that is kind of ingrained now. Would love to see the stop distance a settable value...

My daughter completed Driver's ed recently, they say you should be able to see the rear tires of the car in front. I noticed the MS seems to stop exactly where I can see them - and I'm only 5'7".

Distance setting makes no difference to it's braking, I think if you have it set conservative on distance it should infer conservative on braking - but it doesn't. This was discussed elsewhere on here a while ago.

 

[ev-now]

[Braking late and hard] ... is alarming and wasteful. It is clear to me that the brakes engage and not all of the slow down is regen

Totally agree, applying the brakes is completely unnecessary but AP does it all the time - still I guess you have to wear that service item down somehow

 

[BerTX]

This tendency to wait too long to start stopping was a problem in the early AP1 iterations. They will get it adjusted. Just please pay attention until they do!

 

[BerTX]

My daughter completed Driver's ed recently, they say you should be able to see the rear tires of the car in front. I noticed the MS seems to stop exactly where I can see them - and I'm only 5'7".

Distance setting makes no difference to it's braking, I think if you have it set conservative on distance it should infer conservative on braking - but it doesn't. This was discussed elsewhere on here a while ago.

I was thinking about that "guideline" the other day, and realized that rule was developed when cars were much more square in the front. With the MS, the front end is so low that you will be MUCH closer to the car in front of you when his rear tires disappear from view! (and BTW, the guideline is when the place where the rear tire meets the road disappears, not the whole rear tire)

 

[Joe F]

Too close for me, unless it's truly bumper to bumper. If there is no traffic directly behind me, I do not want to be that close to a vehicle in front of me. Plan ahead. Keep eyes on the rear view mirror. Make sure traffic is not closing too fast. Hazard flashers too. Defensive posture at all times. Paranoid? You betcha.

 

[ev-now]

BTW, the guideline is when the place where the rear tire meets the road disappears, not the whole rear tire

You're dead right, but from behind that is in practical terms the same thing. Good point about vehicle shape though - when she was learning in the 07 Tahoe that would make for a whole lot more room than with the MS!