Autopilot yellow light acceleration

[digitaldart]

We are two days into owning a Model 3 Tesla, so cannot say that we know all of the nuances of the car (yet).

Was using autopilot, and rolling down a divided multilane road. All the lights were normal stop and start as one would expect. However, as one light turned yellow, I swear the Tesla pushed the accelerator to make it through the intersection and slowing back to normal speed when I was through the light.

First off, that is something I would do, but I did not expect it from the car. This was a human-like driving tactic to me.

I am not complaining at all, and in fact, I find it amusing if it is true. However, since the car has not done the same thing at any other light, I am beginning to wonder if I imagined it?

Does this happen or am I just totally in love with my car (and I imagined it)?

-D

 

[KArnold]

I can't answer your question directly, but I did notice some yellow light weirdness. I'm vacationing in Northern Michigan. The secondary 55-MPH highways here are fond of yellow flashing lights at some intersections. When the light was on, Nav assumed it was a traffic light and started to slow. When the light was off, it tried to resume speed. Repeat every 2 seconds.

You could not "approve" going through the "light" as it seemed to start a new cycle each time the light came on. Clearly in this case it was not using GPS for lights like I thought it did. Bottom line - it has no clue what to do with a yellow flashing light. It probably shouldn't do anything.

Also at many of these same intersections the road would split into 2 lanes for a couple hundred yards to accommodate those waiting to turn left. Again, Nav had no clue how to handle.

Still a long way to go on the basics. This is not a fringe case, at least here.

 

[EVRider-FL]

Very unlikely that the car accelerated through a yellow light. That would be dangerous, and AP is pretty conservative. You can’t even go through a green light unless you’re following another car.

 

[digitaldart]

Thank you all for the insights.

 

[Lexdysic]

Still a long way to go on the basics. This is not a fringe case, at least here.

Definitely not a fringe case. Flashing yellows are quite common in rural areas, and also in suburban areas overnight. When driving at 5am and there’s a flashing yellow every 1/4 mile, it’s frustrating to have the car slow down somewhere around 10mph at each signal.

 

[TunaBug]

Were you behind somebody? If so then your speed may have been limited by the car in front. Then when they sped up to make the yellow light then the Tesla simply sped up because it had additional room between you and the lead car.

 

[Nautilus802]

I can't answer your question directly, but I did notice some yellow light weirdness. I'm vacationing in Northern Michigan. The secondary 55-MPH highways here are fond of yellow flashing lights at some intersections. When the light was on, Nav assumed it was a traffic light and started to slow. When the light was off, it tried to resume speed. Repeat every 2 seconds.

You could not "approve" going through the "light" as it seemed to start a new cycle each time the light came on. Clearly in this case it was not using GPS for lights like I thought it did. Bottom line - it has no clue what to do with a yellow flashing light. It probably shouldn't do anything.

Also at many of these same intersections the road would split into 2 lanes for a couple hundred yards to accommodate those waiting to turn left. Again, Nav had no clue how to handle.

Still a long way to go on the basics. This is not a fringe case, at least here.

I have along long rural commute (60 miles each way), and I encounter blinking yellow lights over one of the highways twice along the way. The cruise control and autopilot both essentially *slam* the brakes as the lights are approached. Keep in mind that the post speed limit on this road is 75mph. This creates an extremely dangerous situation. The fact that this occurs with cruise control too is beyond ridiculous. I've noticed that when the flashing yellow lights are on the side of the road, the systems handle it appropriately. It is the situation where the lights are overhead (like a typical intersection traffic light) that the systems apparently think I am running a red light. Absolutely unacceptable that his is happening, and I am amazed someone hasn't been killed yet.

 

[EVRider-FL]

I have along long rural commute (60 miles each way), and I encounter blinking yellow lights over one of the highways twice along the way. The cruise control and autopilot both essentially *slam* the brakes as the lights are approached. Keep in mind that the post speed limit on this road is 75mph. This creates an extremely dangerous situation. The fact that this occurs with cruise control too is beyond ridiculous. I've noticed that when the flashing yellow lights are on the side of the road, the systems handle it appropriately. It is the situation where the lights are overhead (like a typical intersection traffic light) that the systems apparently think I am running a red light. Absolutely unacceptable that his is happening, and I am amazed someone hasn't been killed yet.

I've noticed that issue, but the car doesn't "slam" on the brakes, it just slows down (but it's still annoying). Just disable the traffic light control feature when you're driving on those roads, that's what I do.