Autopilot disconnect force with auto lane-change off

[NorthofYYZ]

Does the force required to disconnect autopilot change depending on selected options?

(Late 2017 Model X HW 2.5 EAP no FSD)

I was driving the other day and auto lane change wasn’t working (I later discovered that the car had reset several options, including lane change, on its own - gave me a “Sorry Dave, I can’t do that” feeling). It seemed that the steering wheel force required to kick off autopilot was significantly lower than when auto lane change was working. As in: several times the very minor force applied while I flicked the turn signal would kick it off.

Now that I have re-enabled auto lane change, the force seems to be back to “normal”.

Made me wonder if this is a design feature.

 

[Tam]

...
I was driving the other day and auto lane change wasn’t working (I later discovered that the car had reset several options, including lane change, on its own - gave me a “Sorry Dave, I can’t do that” feeling)...

Could it be that you just had a firmware update that reset some settings without telling you what it just did?

 

[NorthofYYZ]

I’d driven it several days after 10.4 was pushed to it with normal autopilot function, but that morning I got in & had the “Systems are powering up...” message. I’m thinking something glitched the night before & some settings got switched in that process.

 

[jimmyz80]

I just found this thread with a search and have also had similar thoughts recently. I drive a 2017 S75D and I distinctly remember it taking a fair amount of steering torque to disconnect autopilot manually. In the last few days though, it's super easy to disconnect with just a light turn of the wheel. I haven't had a software update in ages, so if something changed it was separate from any update.

 

[dogldogl]

I have experienced that the torque required on the steering wheel to disengage autosteer is inversely proportional to the immediate “confidence” of the autosteer system (a combination of inputs including lane markings / quality / visibility, the rate of turn (currently cornering?) and quite possibly vehicle speed and surrounding traffic/obstacles).

 

[Peteski]

I've noticed a few of things with AS in my early 2018 MX:-

1/ With whatever firmware I originally had in the car when delivered in February, I had to put a lot of torque on the steering wheel to override it - enough to get a sudden jerk on release, so I tended to use the stalk to switch if off smoothly. It wasn't great to be honest.

2/ At some point after a firmware update or two (not sure when exactly, but probably still back in Feb) I noticed that the steering torque required to override AS suddenly became much lower and I found that I could now override it quite smoothly in most situations. It was a good change and I started using AS more often as a result.

3/ Overrideing AS while cornering requires less effort than when driving in a straight line, when it seems to resist a bit more. This makes sense from a safety POV and I quite like it.

4/ Auto lane-change doesn't work on some of our local dual carriageways, even though the lanes are clearly marked. I'm not sure why at this point. It could be that specific roads are authorised for lane-change functionality based on GPS mapping or that there is something about the markings on these specific roads that the system doesn't like. But it is quite annoying as it would be a very useful feature on these roads and I drive along them every day!

5/ The last couple of firmware updates have really improved AS stability. It now tracks lanes very smoothly indeed (whereas before it would fidget around a little) and I rarely feel the need to intervene unless on very twisty roads at high speed or very poor markings. I know there was a step change in the AS algorithms reported in the last few months, so that makes sense too. The system is now very impressive and useful on many roads. I just wish they would get auto-lane changing operational on more of our local roads.

 

[Aieukl378]

A bit off topic but FYI: I almost never deactivate Autosteer with the steering wheel unless it's an emergency. Deactivating with the stalk is much smoother(your passengers will notice it's much less "jerky".

 

[Peteski]

A bit off topic but FYI: I almost never deactivate Autosteer with the steering wheel unless it's an emergency. Deactivating with the stalk is much smoother(your passengers will notice it's much less "jerky".

What firmware do you have? As above, mine is now very easy to override without jerking the car and I often do that when lane-change is not working. I'm on 2018.18 but the last few versions have been the same.

 

[Aieukl378]

What firmware do you have? As above, mine is now very easy to override without jerking the car and I often do that when lane-change is not working. I'm on 2018.18 but the last few versions have been the same.

I actually just got the latest version...I'll need to check that out.

 

[Saghost]

I have experienced that the torque required on the steering wheel to disengage autosteer is inversely proportional to the immediate “confidence” of the autosteer system (a combination of inputs including lane markings / quality / visibility, the rate of turn (currently cornering?) and quite possibly vehicle speed and surrounding traffic/obstacles).

This. When the car isn't confident of where it's supposed to be, it lets you take over with much less force.

 

[mxnym]

4/ Auto lane-change doesn't work on some of our local dual carriageways, even though the lanes are clearly marked. I'm not sure why at this point. It could be that specific roads are authorised for lane-change functionality based on GPS mapping or that there is something about the markings on these specific roads that the system doesn't like. But it is quite annoying as it would be a very useful feature on these roads and I drive along them every day!

The term dual carriageways makes me think you're not in the US, so forgive my differing terminology, but in the US, AFAIC, auto lane-change only works on Interstates. Put another way, it only works on limited-access highways. Put a third way, it does not work on roads that can have cross traffic, regardless of the existence of lanes and a median.

 

[Peteski]

The term dual carriageways makes me think you're not in the US, so forgive my differing terminology, but in the US, AFAIC, auto lane-change only works on Interstates. Put another way, it only works on limited-access highways. Put a third way, it does not work on roads that can have cross traffic, regardless of the existence of lanes and a median.

Yes I'm in the UK. The odd thing here is that on some dual carriageways (twin lanes in each direction with a central reservation) auto-lane change is actually enabled, but on others it is not (even though there is no cross traffic, only limited on/off ramps). Maybe a clue is that on the roads near the Tesla showroom it is enabled! It does however seem to work on all motorways I've been on (equivalent to your interstates). I just wish they would enable it for some of the dual carriageways on my regular route as there would be no safety issue. I don't mind overriding the AS now it doesn't jerk the car, but the constant bing-bong sound and suppressed music volume is quite irritating. I realise they need to have all that for those who don't pay attention, but it would be soooooo nice to be able to switch off the nanny bongs!

 

[mxnym]

Yes I'm in the UK. The odd thing here is that on some dual carriageways (twin lanes in each direction with a central reservation) auto-lane change is actually enabled, but on others it is not (even though there is no cross traffic, only limited on/off ramps). Maybe a clue is that on the roads near the Tesla showroom it is enabled! It does however seem to work on all motorways I've been on (equivalent to your interstates). I just wish they would enable it for some of the dual carriageways on my regular route as there would be no safety issue. I don't mind overriding the AS now it doesn't jerk the car, but the constant bing-bong sound and suppressed music volume is quite irritating. I realise they need to have all that for those who don't pay attention, but it would be soooooo nice to be able to switch off the nanny bongs!

I think the situation is similar here. However, I drive to work on a divided highway that does have cross traffic, and I simply don't understand how auto lane-change would be any less safe, so I'd like to see it enabled on them as well. I agree on the bongs as well, to a point, I'd definitely like to decrease their volume and maybe have the turn signal not make any noise until/unless it's left on for an extended period while driving straight.