AP following the idiot in front

[fallen888]

So this happened to me yesterday (thankfully heavy traffic meant slow speed). For some reason AP started following the idiot in front, who was not staying in the lane. Why would AP so that? Why not just stay in the middle of the lane?

On a side note, is there a way to tell AP I prefer to hug the left side of lane just a little?

 

[Raffy.Roma]

IMO you set the AP to follow car in front of you without realizing it. But it's a good way to use the AP IMO. Don't understand why you are complaining about it.

 

[ptitcali]

Actually, it makes sense. When on the highway, on slow or stopped traffic, it is good habit to keepy on the side so if any emergency service needs to go through, it gets much easily.
Over here, it is taught when passing the driving licence. here is an example (in Germany)

 

[fallen888]

Actually, it makes sense. When on the highway, on slow or stopped traffic, it is good habit to keepy on the side so if any emergency service needs to go through, it gets much easily.
Over here, it is taught when passing the driving licence. here is an example (in Germany)

It doesn't make sense for AP to decide on its own to do this. Btw, I've never heard of this, and actually keeping the shoulder clear for emergency vehicles makes more sense to me.

 

[ptitcali]

I meant it makes sense that the car in front of you stays on its side. However, I agree with you, the behavior of AP in this case is strange, because it is clearly considering the side of the road (and not following the car, otherwise it would be blue) to decide where to stay.
I'm still in 7.1 so I cannot tell if anything changes. What I noted is that the way AP "thinks" changes from one version to the other, and each time, it takes a little while to understand how AP will react.

 

[Pdub2015]

When you follow another car that closely, you reduce the amount of time you have to react if the lead car suddenly swerves to avoid debris in the road. In this case, it seems AP was making a wise decision in tracking with the lead vehicle in case it was reacting to something in the lane.

 

[ptitcali]

When you follow another car that closely, you reduce the amount of time you have to react if the lead car suddenly swerves to avoid debris in the road.

This might be the "reasoning" of the AP, however as the traffic was slow or stopped, he would have had time to swerve.

 

[Electroman]

When you are that close to the front car, the lanes are not visible for the cameras to a reasonable length for the system to make a judgement just using the lane markers alone. So in that situation following the lead car takes precedence over follow the lanes.

 

[brucet999]

When you are that close to the front car, the lanes are not visible for the cameras to a reasonable length for the system to make a judgement just using the lane markers alone. So in that situation following the lead car takes precedence over follow the lanes.

Judging by the picture of the instrument panel, there must have been enough lane marker visible to Auto Steer, because the display shows both lane markers, something it does not do when it can't see them.

 

[Saghost]

When you are that close to the front car, the lanes are not visible for the cameras to a reasonable length for the system to make a judgement just using the lane markers alone. So in that situation following the lead car takes precedence over follow the lanes.

This. Following the car in front is the next to last ditch fallback approach of Autopilot, when it can't see either lane line with any confidence. You'll see the car highlighted blue when this happens, and you need to pay more attention - if he merges or turns, the car will, too.

The final option "holistic path prediction" generally does badly (on 7.1 you often got there going through traffic lights if you didn't have someone to follow. 8.0 seems to be better at bridging the gaps.)

 

[brucet999]

So this happened to me yesterday (thankfully heavy traffic meant slow speed). For some reason AP started following the idiot in front, who was not staying in the lane. View attachment 197968

The "idiot" in front may have been pulling over in an attempt to see far enough ahead to determine why traffic was at a near standstill and how far ahead the traffic jam extended.

 

[fallen888]

Judging by the picture of the instrument panel, there must have been enough lane marker visible to Auto Steer, because the display shows both lane markers, something it does not do when it can't see them.

Exactly. I took the pic to show both.

But the reason I said "idiot" is it reminded me of the old "If some other idiot jumps off the bridge, would you?"

 

[Saghost]

Exactly. I took the pic to show both.

Interesting. If that wasn't a new development, I don't know what's happening - your panel appears to show the car seeing both lines with confidence and guiding off of them not the car in front.

Did it look that way for the whole event, or did AP follow the other car left, and find the lane lines just before you took the picture?

 

[fallen888]

Interesting. If that wasn't a new development, I don't know what's happening - your panel appears to show the car seeing both lines with confidence and guiding off of them not the car in front.

Did it look that way for the whole event, or did AP follow the other car left, and find the lane lines just before you took the picture?

Nope, you are spot on. It kept following the car and over the left line like that for a couple of minutes, until the car in front corrected its position in the lane.

 

[Ulmo]

Ok, after having thought about it, I think I like this behavior. In the higher probability of things, the car in front of you would clear out the portion of roadway they are using of any obstacles, whether by their own observation and reaction, or by physically removing or crushing it in such a manner as to make it more passable by you. Also, if you crash straight into that car, the crush zones probably work better when centered and square than when askew, in at least some if not most cases.

Although, I personally would ask my Tesla to have a much longer following distance. I know, most people don't like that.

As "AP" gets better and better, expect to see more and more things that are of "higher probability of good outcome" that you wouldn't necessarily do, feel comfortable with, see, expect, or see regularly on the road.

 

[CarlitoDoc]

Honestly....another AP rant.

 

[fallen888]

Honestly....another AP rant.

Nah, I'm just surprised at the behavior in this particular case and wondering why it did what it did. Overall, I love my car and love AP.

 

[JeffK]

This behavior sounds like it might prevent those type of accidents where the car in front avoids a car partially parked in your lane and AP side swipes it, as we've seen with a few AP incidents.

 

[WannabeOwner]

If this was "follow that car" AP mode why is the instrument panel not showing the car in front in Blue, but is instead showing the lane markers in blue?

I would have expected that when lane-markers show in Blue then that is what AP is using for guidance.

Perhaps AP is supposed to use some-and-some ?

 

[Electroman]

I agree. I too was puzzled by that ..