diplomat33
Average guy who loves autonomous vehicles
I have a Tesla Model 3 with FSD and HW3. I have a little over 9000 mi on it. On Jan 11 2020, I was westbound on the San Mateo bridge with NAP engaged. Autopilot just decided to changes lanes (without indicating) causing the vehicle in the adjacent lane to swerve to avoid me. I only got a "Take over immediately" once my vehicle was halfway into the adjacent lane. I realize I have no proof that AP was engaged, and this just looks like I'm driving like an idiot.
I contacted Tesla about this. They told me that the lane markings were unclear and I shouldn't rely on the system. I totally get this, and had my hands on the steering wheel, and took over within a second or so. Had the guy next to me not swerved, this would've been a collision that would've been my fault.
When I told Tesla I don't agree with their assessment of unclear lane markings, and that I would post the video online, they phoned me and told me to stop threatening their employees, and if I have a problem with their response, I should contact their legal department.
I used to be a huge Tesla advocate. After this incident, and they way they've treated me, I'm posting this as a warning to everyone else.
Take a look at the dashcam footage yourself, and see if you think the lane markings are unclear.
NOA always puts the blinkers on and indicates a lane change in advance before doing an auto lane change. So this was NOT NOA changing lanes. More likely, NOA got a little confused about where the lane was because of something on the road. So it tried to steer into where it thought the lane was and then realizing that it was not in the right lane, it gave you the "take over immediately" warning. That is the standard warning when AP or NOA knows it is making a mistake and needs the driver to help by taking over.
Your experience is a reminder that AP and NOA are driver assist systems that are still very much beta because they are definitely not 100% reliable. AP and NOA are far from full self-driving.