Auto Parallel Parking feature working for anyone?

[David29]

Had my first experience with autopark today. Worked well. The only thing I noticed when I was out of the car was that the car was not quite positioned between the parking space lines. The system positions the car relative to the ones in front and behind, not with respect to the space markings on the pavement. Mine ended up just slightly beyond the line in front, probably because the front car was parked close to or beyond the end of its space. So you may want to check to be sure you are within the legal space and won't be ticketed. Plus, if one of the adjacent cars leaves, you would likely want the car to be in the legal space for benefit of next person parking.
(In my case, I did not move because I was parked briefly and both cars had plenty of space to maneuver.)

 

[cgiGuy]

Another quick vid to add to data. There's been a lot of talk about the height of curbs. This was my second successful auto park and it was done between two cars where a driveway was between the two. Possible it just used the short amount of curb behind the front car to set the "guides."

 

[Patrick W]

Another quick vid to add to data. There's been a lot of talk about the height of curbs. This was my second successful auto park and it was done between two cars where a driveway was between the two. Possible it just used the short amount of curb behind the front car to set the "guides."

One change that looked pretty obvious was the appearance of the "P". Looked much more visible than I've seen before.

 

[wizputer]

Earlier this week was the first time I had a glimpse of the illusive P ... as I drove past a garbage can next to a driveway. It was a smaller refuse can, 32gal I think. Without the can, could probably fit 2 Model S between the cars.

Setup was like this:
CAR G DRIVEWAY CAR
TESLA

I barely saw it, so I came to a complete stop and started slowly backing up. Sure enough, once roughly the rear passenger tire lined up with the garbage can, the magical P reappeared for a couple feet. Though, I didn't actually let it attempt to park.

The sonar rear sonar sensors could tell there was nothing between the car and can too (the yellow "field" disappeared briefly when continuing on my way)

 

[Travelguy]

First time I saw the "P" today. Used it and it worked perfectly. Took awhile for my car to 'calibrate' (whatever that means) but my first experience was all good

 

[Max*]

One more case where the autopark disabled itself: Parking over a speedbump, the car (smartly so) doesn't want to give it to much gas to make it over the speedbump and potentially hit the car behind you.

 

[Soolim]

One more case where the autopark disabled itself: Parking over a speedbump, the car (smartly so) doesn't want to give it to much gas to make it over the speedbump and potentially hit the car behind you.

Could it be that the sonar confused the speedbump for a curb?

 

[Max*]

Could it be that the sonar confused the speedbump for a curb?

Possible, but I doubt it, I was in the parking space already, it was a speedhump (sorry, should've been clear, low to the ground, but long in length), and my rear tires touched it, and the car tried to power itself over it to get me a little closer to the car behind me, and it cancelled out (Autopark aborted? or something)

I actually just the left the car exactly where it was, because it was pretty much done parking.

 

[Soolim]

Possible, but I doubt it, I was in the parking space already, it was a speedhump (sorry, should've been clear, low to the ground, but long in length), and my rear tires touched it, and the car tried to power itself over it to get me a little closer to the car behind me, and it cancelled out (Autopark aborted? or something)

I actually just the left the car exactly where it was, because it was pretty much done parking.

Thanks for clarifying. It was a smart thing for AP to ask the driver to take over. Kudos to Tesla.

 

[David29]

I have tried two or three more times to use the autopark but it has failed to give me the P sign when I thought it should. These were cases where the parking space was on the LEFT side of a one-way roadway. Does autopark work on both sides or only on one? (I libe in the US so the left is the driver's side.)

 

[Andyw2100]

I have tried two or three more times to use the autopark but it has failed to give me the P sign when I thought it should. These were cases where the parking space was on the LEFT side of a one-way roadway. Does autopark work on both sides or only on one? (I libe in the US so the left is the driver's side.)

I have not used it myself, but people have reported that it does work on both sides.

 

[Khatsalano]

It works on both sides and it seems to have gotten a lot better since release. It took the sensors quite a few days to "learn," but now, the car P's quite easily. The manual said it would take 30 minutes to several days for the calibration. Yup, confirmed it now also works where the curbs are low or where there are driveway-width curb cuts. This was not the case on release day.

- K

 

[Max*]

I've gotten it the P on both sides, though I've never actually used it on the left side.

 

[travwill]

It works on both sides and it seems to have gotten a lot better since release. It took the sensors quite a few days to "learn," but now, the car P's quite easily. The manual said it would take 30 minutes to several days for the calibration. Yup, confirmed it now also works where the curbs are low or where there are driveway-width curb cuts. This was not the case on release day.

- K

Dang, I live in Chicago and drive on these roads a lot and still have never gotten 1 single P! :-/ Even after pulling up pretty far in front of a spot, etc. I'll be amazed if this parking thing ever works soon - seems horrible compared to the fact that our last two cars did it so easily/well without this "callibration" delay.

 

[Soolim]

Dang, I live in Chicago and drive on these roads a lot and still have never gotten 1 single P! :-/ Even after pulling up pretty far in front of a spot, etc. I'll be amazed if this parking thing ever works soon - seems horrible compared to the fact that our last two cars did it so easily/well without this "callibration" delay.

Do you see the front and rear sonar sensors flashing (detecting obstruction) on your IC when approaching the parked cars while attempting to park your S?

 

[Lex]

I finally got mine working once... I *think* I got it to show me the P by getting closer to the parked cars when driving by them than I normally would, to ensure they register.

And, I also drove past the 2nd parked car more than I imagined would be needed, based on the learnings of others.

I also had to drive by twice to get it to register.

I'll probably never use it again though, as it gets WAY too close to the front car for my tastes and I really don't like the strain on the tires and power steering of all that steering at a stop, but maybe that's just me

 

[Max*]

I really don't like the strain on the tires and power steering of all that steering at a stop, but maybe that's just me

As compared to you parking on your own? How so? I never noticed this.

 

[Khatsalano]

I'll probably never use it again though, as it gets WAY too close to the front car for my tastes and I really don't like the strain on the tires and power steering of all that steering at a stop, but maybe that's just me

I thought the same thing. Over time as the sensors calibrated/learned, the distance to the front car on the turn has become much more comfortable vs. the 10 inches when it started. I don't know how the software works, but right now, it's working flawlessly. The first day, I would have said this was a major fail for Tesla-- I could only get it to P 1/20 times and it was often way too close for comfort. It turns out, like humans, the more machines do something, the better they get at it.

As far as tire/steering strain, I think this is theoretically true and was taught to us by our driving instructors or moms and dads, decades ago. Have our steering systems changed since then? Will turning a tire without motion reduce its life by 1 mile each time? 10 miles? I would love to see some updated data on this, but my feeling is, this is an outdated teaching and has no significant impact on our cars anymore.

- K

 

[Andyw2100]

As compared to you parking on your own? How so? I never noticed this.

When you are parking on your own, you can make sure that the car is slightly in motion as you turn the wheel. I believe that's how we were all taught to drive. (Apparently, though, my mother-in-law has forgotten. We recently repaved our driveway, largely because of the new Tesla, and one of the instructions to keep it healthy a long time was to avoid turning the wheel of the car while not moving the car. My mother-in-law is having trouble with this! ) The Tesla, when auto parking, will turn the wheels without moving, which may be bad for both the tires and the power steering system. I actually haven't even tried the auto parking feature for this reason.

 

[Max*]

When you are parking on your own, you can make sure that the car is slightly in motion as you turn the wheel. I believe that's how we were all taught to drive. (Apparently, though, my mother-in-law has forgotten. We recently repaved our driveway, largely because of the new Tesla, and one of the instructions to keep it healthy a long time was to avoid turning the wheel of the car while not moving the car. My mother-in-law is having trouble with this! ) The Tesla, when auto parking, will turn the wheels without moving, which may be bad for both the tires and the power steering system. I actually haven't even tried the auto parking feature for this reason.

Ah, that makes sense. I never paid attention to it, but I could believe it.