Autopilot seems to bias M3 to the right side of the lane?

[F14Scott]

M3 AWD, 19" wheels, 04-19 build, HW3, 1600 miles, 2019.16 3.

Both my wife and I feel like the car, while self-steering, keeps the car too far to the right within its lane. Best I can estimate, my left wheels are lining up with drivers' heads, rather than being centered on the left tire wear area of the roads. This puts my head (as the driver) pretty close to being on centerline.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Stach]

When I had the AP trial a couple of weeks ago, I had the exact opposite feeling, like the drivers side wheel were almost on the center line. I would never drive with my car that close to the centerline and I felt like I was pushing oncoming cars over. Tesla really needs to either work on a consistently better alignment, or allow the drive to set a preference for where in the lane they prefer to be.

 

[Msjulie]

M3 AWD, 19" wheels, 04-19 build, HW3, 1600 miles, 2019.16 3.

Both my wife and I feel like the car, while self-steering, keeps the car too far to the right within its lane.

I have not used it in some time, phantom braking was just making me too stressed. But the roads where the right lane line drops when a lane merges in would make that problem above worse; the car would edge over towards what might be incoming traffic.

Cameras need to calibrate supposedly, maybe a few hundred miles driving will improve that but in general that was my feeling as well

 

[F14Scott]

When I had the AP trial a couple of weeks ago, I had the exact opposite feeling, like the drivers side wheel were almost on the center line. I would never drive with my car that close to the centerline and I felt like I was pushing oncoming cars over. Tesla really needs to either work on a consistently better alignment, or allow the drive to set a preference for where in the lane they prefer to be.

Disregard.
I misread your use of center line.
As an old naval flight officer, "centerline" means the middle of my lane. I see you meant the double yellow.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Have someone drive behind you, because your perception might be the issue.

We have seen people make similar comments in the past, until they had an independent observer report.
Basically, AutoSteer was centering the car properly in the lane, by the driver was so accustomed to driving themselves off-center, that they thought AutoSteer was at fault.

The display also shows where it thinks the car is within the lane.

 

[SubSolar]

Have someone drive behind you, because your perception might be the issue.

We have seen people make similar comments in the past, until they had an independent observer report.
Basically, AutoSteer was centering the car properly in the lane, by the driver was so accustomed to driving themselves off-center, that they thought AutoSteer was at fault.

The display also shows where it thinks the car is within the lane.

This. Most people don't realize they've been driving off center for decades.

 

[edigest]

I tend to drive more to the right side of the lane so autopilot seemed to put me too close to the centerline for comfort. I followed my wife while she was on autopilot and found the car to be well centered most of the time.

One thing I discovered over time is, the faster you're traveling above the speed limit the more the car seems to under anticipate curves. In other words, traveling faster does seem to navigate curves closer to the centerline than otherwise.

 

[KenC]

Yep, have someone drive behind to calibrate your position. The driver's view in the Model 3 is different than your old car, so that your perception of where you think you are in your lane may be different.

I like to drive toward the outside of a lane, assuming I'm driving in an outside lane, so having AP on, always makes me feel like I'm not tracking where I want to be, but that's just my preference, not a problem with AP. I would love it if they had a preference to adjust where the car drove on AP, like 6" left of center, or 6" right, etc. With the bad winter, and greater number of potholes, tracking just off of center will get you out of the pothole line.

 

[animorph]

Historically, I have seen plenty of complaints about lane bias on TMC. Some of them seemed to self correct, as if there was an internal calibration process. Some of them required a camera adjustment, though I haven't seen that recently. I assume some were also from people not used to driving in the center of the lane.

If it's doing it all the time, I'd give it a week, or 200 miles, especially after a firmware update, and see if it improves. If not, then find a road near the service center where the problem is obvious and take it in for service.

 

[Big Dog]

have two model 3's and both stay dead center in the lane.

If you think you are too far right in AP, try driving 70+ in the car pool lane and see how close to the wall you get. (you'll wish you were driving more to the right side. hahahahaha)

 

[anticowboyism]

have two model 3's and both stay dead center in the lane.

If you think you are too far right in AP, try driving 70+ in the car pool lane and see how close to the wall you get. (you'll wish you were driving more to the right side. hahahahaha)

This. The AP definitely understeers on corners at freeway speeds. I had to recover control the other day when the AP took me over the shoulder warning bumps and inches from an overpass pillar.

 

[JackAttack]

This. The AP definitely understeers on corners at freeway speeds. I had to recover control the other day when the AP took me over the shoulder warning bumps and inches from an overpass pillar.

Same here. And same with centering between merge lane and left/centerline. Cameras radius seems about 15’ max. For us, combine with Colorado lane markings mostly worn away each spring. I think the car is AMAZING and excited for future. industry needs things like simple lane guide threads or pins imbedded in roads, longer range “eyes”, talking between vehicles, road damage systems. Has a long way to go but what a great start!!!

 

[Big Dog]

My guess; the understeer (or really delay) in turns is due to the side cameras in that they don't know that they are in a turn until they can see it. As a driver, we're looking ahead and will anticipate the upcoming lane curve. The side camera just waits until it sees the painted lien move.

 

[anticowboyism]

My guess; the understeer (or really delay) in turns is due to the side cameras in that they don't know that they are in a turn until they can see it. As a driver, we're looking ahead and will anticipate the upcoming lane curve. The side camera just waits until it sees the painted lien move.

Makes sense, but I think the front camera should be able to look ahead further for anticipating turns. Neural net and machine learning should help the camera arrays make better predictions in the future.

 

[mrclean90]

While using AP on the freeway (mostly in LA-OC area on the 405 and 5), I've come to realize how bad other drivers are around me. I routinely see drivers drift out of their lane, drive along the lane markers, tail gate, race, and incessantly change lanes. Most drivers seem to be using their phones (texting etc.) while they drive and I see near misses all the time. Its funny how I read about how bad AP is on this forum, but I think it's much safer than the average driver.

 

[anticowboyism]

While using AP on the freeway (mostly in LA-OC area on the 405 and 5), I've come to realize how bad other drivers are around me. I routinely see drivers drift out of their lane, drive along the lane markers, tail gate, race, and incessantly change lanes. Most drivers seem to be using their phones (texting etc.) while they drive and I see near misses all the time. Its funny how I read about how bad AP is on this forum, but I think it's much safer than the average driver.

I think there is a difference between drifting out of the lane while in control of the vehicle, and drifting out while on AP. In the first case, you know how far out you will allow yourself to go. In the second case, you have no idea how far the AP will take you out of the lane, and are faced with the decision of whether to recover control or remain in AP.

This creates psychological hurdles to overcome. Every time I choose to recover control, I lose faith in the AP. It becomes a question of trust, and trust repeatedly broken becomes more and more difficult to regain. Now, if you ask who I trust more, AP or other drivers around me? I would undoubtedly prefer they were all AP. My chain of trust looks like: Myself > AP > Other drivers.