Autopilot In The Right Lane Is Disconcerting When The Lane Gets Wider (for Merging)...

[WilliamG]

This drives me nuts on a daily basis. I'm driving along with AutoPilot working perfectly - in the right lane. Then that lane widens considerably as traffic from the right is merging. When passing these merging portions of the lane, the car will somewhat veer to the middle of the right lane (when it's widened for a moment), and then adjust back as the merging portion ends. It's really disconcerting because it feels like it's about to veer off the road.

I'm a little surprised the car doesn't just choose to stay X amount of distance from the lane markers on the left in situations like this, using its cameras more effectively to see that the lane is only temporarily widened.

 

[Zoomit]

It's much better than it was and it'll be much better than it is now.

 

[WilliamG]

It's much better than it was and it'll be much better than it is now.

Hah, I hope so. It simply shouldn't happen. For something so comparatively simple, it's something I expect to work much better than it does. It's so easily repeatable I'm surprised it's not fixed.

 

[raptor5244]

Hah, I hope so. It simply shouldn't happen. For something so comparatively simple, it's something I expect to work much better than it does. It's so easily repeatable I'm surprised it's not fixed.

I know what you are referring to. More than likely it has only been programmed to stay in the middle of the lane markers. The Tesla AP neurons are still making connections, it needs time to learn. We, the fleet, send it 5 million images of what a merging lane looks like and then it should learn to not over correct but stay the course with the left lane markers while then right lanes marker widens and narrows. It should know this because one, based on GPS maps the car is approaching a merge lane and two, we sent the neural network a gazillion images of what a merge lane looks like.

 

[cfichuck]

When I first started driving with autopilot, I felt the same way. But I came to realize that I was expecting the Tesla to assess traffic, predict future driving needs and maneuver in traffic as I would. That is more than AI, that is mind reading. Even Elon isn't trying to do that. So I set more realistic expectations and use the level of automation suitable for the situation. For example I will only use NOA for very long trips, but use TACC almost all the time both on freeway and major roads during rush hour (all the time here) or bumper to bumper traffic.

I'm patiently waiting for the system to learn. In the mean time this behavior, has presented a fun challenge to watch, anticipate and deal with whatever the AI decides to do. I find I'm paying more attention to traffic than I did driving ICE cars. And enjoying it more. I am still pilot in command, and like pilots, (which I am) I am a systems manager that doesn't always have to physically move the controls. Like the airplane, sometimes I use auto land. In the Tesla, I sometimes use self parking. One thing I NEVER do in either, relinquish command to the autopilot.

 

[Alketi]

I never drive in the right lane for this reason and the fact that AP still doesn't handle high-speed cut-ins very well.

Random construction, fire trucks, and stopped vehicles are also far more likely to be in the outside lanes.

When using AP in a 4-lane highway (for example) I always drive in either lane 2 or 3.

 

[Big Earl]

I never drive in the right lane for this reason and the fact that AP still doesn't handle high-speed cut-ins very well.

Random construction, fire trucks, and stopped vehicles are also far more likely to be in the outside lanes.

When using AP in a 4-lane highway (for example) I always drive in either lane 2 or 3.

Unfortunately, that isn’t how lanes are supposed to work. Lane discipline dictates that you keep as far right as possible. If everyone drives in the middle, as many seem to like to do, especially trucks, it makes it very difficult to pass and the overall flow of traffic slows down.

 

[RFernatt]

Yes, annoying and disconcerting. Happens to me on truck lanes, on/off ramps, merges, etc. when there are no dashed line markers to keep the semblance of a lane line on the right. MD apparently doesn't believe they should paint those so car is moving right and then back left. Especially fun on truck lanes when it moves right as the lane begins and then freaks out when it sees a new lane line appear right in front of the car and it swerves left or yells for the driver to take over suddenly.

 

[TexLaw]

I've grown accustomed to it. I know what the car is up to, so I don't get concerned with what will happen. I pay attention to what it's doing, of course, but I always do that. It's nice when the highway has a broken line separating the merge lane from the main lane.

It's hardly a simple thing to correct, though. There are plenty of situations where you wouldn't want the car sticking to the left lane marker.

 

[WilliamG]

I've grown accustomed to it. I know what the car is up to, so I don't get concerned with what will happen. I pay attention to what it's doing, of course, but I always do that. It's nice when the highway has a broken line separating the merge lane from the main lane.

It's hardly a simple thing to correct, though. There are plenty of situations where you wouldn't want the car sticking to the left lane marker.

Absolutely. Which is why I said in these situations.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I expected it to be a lot worse than it is from the posts on the board. It's not like it swerves. It just seems to drift a bit.

 

[WilliamG]

I expected it to be a lot worse than it is from the posts on the board. It's not like it swerves. It just seems to drift a bit.

I can tell you it’s extremely unnerving as a passenger.

 

[RFernatt]

I can tell you it’s extremely unnerving as a passenger.

My wife would agree. When she's a passenger and the car starts it's swerving behavior, she pretty much tells me to turn it off and drive.

 

[mswlogo]

I know what you are referring to. More than likely it has only been programmed to stay in the middle of the lane markers. The Tesla AP neurons are still making connections, it needs time to learn. We, the fleet, send it 5 million images of what a merging lane looks like and then it should learn to not over correct but stay the course with the left lane markers while then right lanes marker widens and narrows. It should know this because one, based on GPS maps the car is approaching a merge lane and two, we sent the neural network a gazillion images of what a merge lane looks like.

It does not work that way. Images have to be marked up by a human. They cannot mark up millions of images.

 

[animorph]

I would say mine "swerves" at times. Other times it is more of a sway. Sometimes it actually behaves itself and follows the left lane line. The swerve is as if I was trying to quickly block another car on the right from passing me. It sees kind of dangerous in a merge situation. Mostly I just worry that a cop would be watching me and think I was impaired. It's not a normal human behavior to move right for most lane widenings. Same reason I didn't use the early 2017 Autopilot that wandered all over the lane.

 

[raptor5244]

It does not work that way. Images have to be marked up by a human. They cannot mark up millions of images.

Damn humans, always slowing things down.

 

[raptor5244]

I would say mine "swerves" at times. Other times it is more of a sway. Sometimes it actually behaves itself and follows the left lane line. The swerve is as if I was trying to quickly block another car on the right from passing me. It sees kind of dangerous in a merge situation. Mostly I just worry that a cop would be watching me and think I was impaired. It's not a normal human behavior to move right for most lane widenings. Same reason I didn't use the early 2017 Autopilot that wandered all over the lane.

"Officer, neither the Telsa or I have had anything to drink tonight." "The Tesla is a new driver and it is still learning."

 

[postersw]

After so much hype about Tesla's self-driving capabilities, It's disappointing to find that after working on and promising self-driving software for six years, a very very basic function like 'keep me in my lane' is still in 'beta' mode, and as accurately noted in this thread, is unnerving to use in the right-hand lane of a thruway. On my M3LR AWD, it works a lot like having a kid sitting on my lap and trying to steer - it's more work keeping an eye on the kid than actually steering myself.

As for 'training it to be better', remember that neural networks only get trained by adjusting their coefficients based on the error term (the difference between the actual and desired outcome), so as long as it is trained to stay centered in a lane, it's going to veer off to the right at every on-ramp. In other words, the programming team has to explicitly mark that lane-serving as undesired behavior before it will get better. Here's hoping that they do.

 

[Southpasfan]

After owning my M3 for a week it really makes you think about driving decisions. The situation where a lane which in theory gets wider (because the right lane line goes away and a new on/off merging lane is created) but which is actually not wider is a fairly advanced bit of analysis. They will undoubtedly get it sorted out.

One thing though, is that once it is sorted out, the computer and cameras are more accurate than my eyesight. Especially when it comes to keeping a distance from the car in front.

 

[Knightshade]

After so much hype about Tesla's self-driving capabilities, It's disappointing to find that after working on and promising self-driving software for six years

Might wanna check your math...


FSD wasn't even available as an option until ~October 2016 when they introduced AP2.... so less about 2 and 3/4 years ago, not 6.

Before that was just AP1 which was most definitely, and never intended to be, a self driving system (and in large part wasn't even Teslas software- hence why they had to basically start from scratch with AP2).


But by all means, let us know who sells a car today with a system that does it better