AutoPilot camera can detect pedestrians and other "objects"

[MarcG]

A new version of the 7.0 manual was posted in My Tesla, and it seems that the description of the "HOLD" message when AutoPilot is engaged has been updated from the generic "Model S has fully stopped and you must tap the accelerator pedal to resume cruising at the set speed" to this more lengthy description, which tells us that the camera can indeed detect pedestrians (and some nondescript objects):

Model S has fully stopped behind a vehicle it was following but a pedestrian or object was detected in front of Model S, causing Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to be in a HOLD state. Tap the accelerator pedal to resume cruising at the set speed.

 

[Andyw2100]

A new version of the 7.0 manual was posted in My Tesla, and it seems that the description of the "HOLD" message when AutoPilot is engaged has been updated from the generic "Model S has fully stopped and you must tap the accelerator pedal to resume cruising at the set speed" to this more lengthy description, which tells us that the camera can indeed detect pedestrians (and some nondescript objects):

Interesting!

Good find!

 

[tom66]

The Mobileye system is capable of categorising objects via it's neural network classifier, including pedestrians, bicycles and other cars. So it doesn't surprise me at all that it can do this.

 

[Max*]

A new version of the 7.0 manual was posted in My Tesla, and it seems that the description of the "HOLD" message when AutoPilot is engaged has been updated from the generic "Model S has fully stopped and you must tap the accelerator pedal to resume cruising at the set speed" to this more lengthy description, which tells us that the camera can indeed detect pedestrians (and some nondescript objects):

I've had the hold message twice. I think they may have changed it's appearance from .56 to .77, as it's now blue above the speedomoter (can't remember what it was in .56, but it was different).

I'm positive there were no pedestrians, as I was the 2nd car at the light and the object in front of me was a car... and when he started driving away (again no pedestrians), I didn't go anywhere until I tapped the accelerator.

 

[green1]

I found that the "hold" mode still exists in TACC as it did on 6.2, but in autosteer mode hold seems to be gone.

 

[Max*]

I found that the "hold" mode still exists in TACC as it did on 6.2, but in autosteer mode hold seems to be gone.

It's still there for autosteer, but other things trigger it now

 

[bhzmark]

now confirmed in V8:

Tesla Autopilot significantly improved pedestrian detection in v8 update tests show, now renders humans

 

[Aieukl378]

Nice!

 

[chillaban]

Note that in addition to pedestrians, anything that causes an orange or red ultrasonic reading from the parking sensors will also put you in HOLD mode. For example, if you engage TACC from a stop too close to the car in front or you are near a curb that only intermittently reads.

 

[donv]

Now if only they would activate hold mode for red lights or stop signs!

 

[green1]

Now if only they would activate hold mode for red lights or stop signs!

The camera can see them (per MobilEye who makes the thing) and Tesla promised the feature. However, in recent firmware versions they've removed the associated variables in the back end of the system, and seem to have given up on it. They've removed that promise from the website as well.

This is one of a very very long list of AP1 features that never came to be, and is highly unlikely to be delivered on this hardware in the future.

 

[Patrick W]

Maybe I missed it but does everything shown work only when autopilot is on?

Would the car also stop and/or give the visual and audible alerts if driving manually and a person stepped into the lane?

 

[outie]

The camera can see them (per MobilEye who makes the thing) and Tesla promised the feature. However, in recent firmware versions they've removed the associated variables in the back end of the system, and seem to have given up on it. They've removed that promise from the website as well.

This is one of a very very long list of AP1 features that never came to be, and is highly unlikely to be delivered on this hardware in the future.

I like how they make promises, then just remove them from the website. Tada! I have to say Tesla owners are quite tolerate about being lied to.

Seriously is that going to happen for the AP2 features too?

 

[sorka]

I like how they make promises, then just remove them from the website. Tada! I have to say Tesla owners are quite tolerate about being lied to.

Seriously is that going to happen for the AP2 features too?

That's what the waybackmachine is for.

 

[Todd Burch]

Maybe I missed it, but what promises did Tesla make regarding stopping for stoplights? Do you have a source showing they promised that at some point?

 

[mblakele]

Maybe I missed it, but what promises did Tesla make regarding stopping for stoplights? Do you have a source showing they promised that at some point?

Here's what I found, from early 2015. The way I read it this isn't exactly a promise to stop for stoplights etc. It only says that "safety features" will "monitor" such things. You might expect that those safety features would do something with that data... but the prose doesn't come right out and say that.

I suspect that MobilEye sold Tesla on these identification features, and as of this blog post Tesla thought they could get them working. But in the end they weren't robust enough.

Internet Archive 2015-04-11 (scroll down and select "Autopilot" to reveal the text):

Autopilot combines a forward looking camera, radar, and 360 degree sonar sensors with real time traffic updates to automatically drive Model S on the open road and in dense stop and go traffic. Changing lanes becomes as simple as a tap of the turn signal. When you arrive at your destination, Model S will both detect a parking spot and automatically park itself. Standard equipment safety features are constantly monitoring stop signs, traffic signals and pedestrians, as well as for unintentional lane changes.

Autopilot features are progressively enabled over time with software updates. The current software version is 6.2, adding automatic emergency braking and blind spot warning.​

 

[Todd Burch]

Thanks. Yes, it seems they left themselves a little wiggle room there.

Agree that they probably found it was only 9x% reliable, and--worried that people would depend on it--decided not to add it.

Shame, because I'd love to have it as a backup. Seems there'd be little risk to add it at least as an audible warning if the car thinks you're going to blow a red light, even if it won't attempt to stop for you.

 

[green1]

Seriously is that going to happen for the AP2 features too?

That's a 100% guarantee.
They've claimed level 5 autonomy. Never mind that level 5 would actually require removal of the drive controls, so level 4 is the best they can do (though I would argue that level 4 is better than level 5), we also have to note that without rear, and probably corner, radars this car will NEVER be fully self driving. It *MAY* be able to self drive in good weather, but it won't be able to handle rain/snow at all..

It looks to me like the AP2.0 hardware is probably enough to fulfill the AP1.0 promises.

 

[MP3Mike]

Never mind that level 5 would actually require removal of the drive controls

You keep saying this, but have never provided a link that shows that level 5 is not allowed to have drive controls. Where are you getting that information from?

 

[Max*]

That's a 100% guarantee.
They've claimed level 5 autonomy. Never mind that level 5 would actually require removal of the drive controls, so level 4 is the best they can do (though I would argue that level 4 is better than level 5), we also have to note that without rear, and probably corner, radars this car will NEVER be fully self driving. It *MAY* be able to self drive in good weather, but it won't be able to handle rain/snow at all..

It looks to me like the AP2.0 hardware is probably enough to fulfill the AP1.0 promises.

They're using SAE metrics, for autonomy levels. And it has nothing to do with steering controls, see here: http://www.sae.org/misc/pdfs/automated_driving.pdf

This is the NHSTA levels (go to 4), which I believe more people use, but that's neither here nor there: U.S. Department of Transportation Releases Policy on Automated Vehicle Development | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)


Anything else is additions to the actual levels. Some places call Level 5 NHTSA as no steering wheel. Except it doesn't actually exist. Some places call NHTSA level 4B as capable of Car-to-Car communication. Except that no separate level exists for this.