Autosteer with merging traffic

[Canefan456]

I've been using Autosteer on the interstate quite a bit since taking delivery almost 2 months ago, and for the most part I am comfortable with how the car handles surrounding traffic. My only gripe is how it handles cars merging onto the interstate if I happen to be in the rightmost lane approaching the onramp. The first thing that makes me uncomfortable is that it will often times brake (sometimes abruptly) to allow a car to merge into the lane. If there is a car behind me, this can be very unsafe as that driver is probably not expecting my sudden braking. The onus should be on the merging car to seek a safe spot to merge into existing traffic. The other thing it does is as the merge lane blends into the right lane, the lane will be around 50% wider for a time. This causes the car to suddenly lurch to the right as it tries to stay in the center of the lane. Again, a car that is trying to merge and is waiting for me to pass, would not expect me to suddenly pull right in front of them like that. Would be better if it just stayed close to left lane marker when the lane widens temporarily. Thoughts?

 

[Klau2]

I've been using Autosteer on the interstate quite a bit since taking delivery almost 2 months ago, and for the most part I am comfortable with how the car handles surrounding traffic. My only gripe is how it handles cars merging onto the interstate if I happen to be in the rightmost lane approaching the onramp. The first thing that makes me uncomfortable is that it will often times brake (sometimes abruptly) to allow a car to merge into the lane. If there is a car behind me, this can be very unsafe as that driver is probably not expecting my sudden braking. The onus should be on the merging car to seek a safe spot to merge into existing traffic. The other thing it does is as the merge lane blends into the right lane, the lane will be around 50% wider for a time. This causes the car to suddenly lurch to the right as it tries to stay in the center of the lane. Again, a car that is trying to merge and is waiting for me to pass, would not expect me to suddenly pull right in front of them like that. Would be better if it just stayed close to left lane marker when the lane widens temporarily. Thoughts?

unfortunately, these issue has been around for awhile. Hopefully with the new rewrite that is coming out in a month or so will fix some of these issues. They other bug is phantom braking that a lot of people experienced. This usually happens when you go under a bridge on a highway during day time. the shadow under the bridge will confuse the system to think there's a car there. Happened to me couple times already. That's one of the reason i don't use it that often.

 

[LNL_HUTZ]

I think the abrupt braking issue will only really improve when most of the cars are partially autonomous and/or communicating with each other. Yes, the onus should be on the merging car, but we all know how often someone just barrels into the lane, onus or no onus. I suspect that this is why Tesla errs on the side of avoiding the merging car, as opposed to expecting the merging car to avoid it.

I agree about the car becoming confused when one of the lane dividers disappears. For both these reasons, I tend to not use Autosteer in the curb lane if I can help it.

 

[PatinCT]

Completely agree with all of this. Being in the right hand lane on autosteer where cars are merging in will get you a lot of sudden braking and people giving you the finger for not letting that car merge in.

 

[SD419]

Yup, I second your issues. I avoid the far-right lane on freeways at all costs.

 

[Naren]

Agree with all what has been said above. Since the Tesla can see the car merging in front of me, it should anticipate it better rather than slamming the brakes at the last moment.

 

[KurtSanders]

Perfectly stated and why I have a love-hate relationship with FSD quirks... Definitely need to be vigilant about the way that the AI handles these issues...

 

[ATPMSD]

Autosteer merge does not work well with traffic, especially in high traffic areas like Atlanta (also, we have a lot of moron drivers out there that Auotsteer simply cannot handle!) I turn-off Autosteer for all interstate ramps and merges.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

The fact that these problems have existed for years with the existing code really makes you question the buzzword marketing claims of machine learning, neural network, and AI. At least for the current code, I think that's all just part of the Silicon Valley fake-it-until-you-make-it marketing approach, and as far as any improvements to the system, it boils down to some keyboard jockey having to go into the code editor to change some if/then/else statements and then push a code update for anything to improve. Hopefully this next version of code will actually deliver on some of those marketing promises.

 

[SalisburySam]

I've been using Autosteer on the interstate quite a bit since taking delivery almost 2 months ago, and for the most part I am comfortable with how the car handles surrounding traffic. My only gripe is how it handles cars merging onto the interstate if I happen to be in the rightmost lane approaching the onramp. The first thing that makes me uncomfortable is that it will often times brake (sometimes abruptly) to allow a car to merge into the lane. If there is a car behind me, this can be very unsafe as that driver is probably not expecting my sudden braking. The onus should be on the merging car to seek a safe spot to merge into existing traffic. The other thing it does is as the merge lane blends into the right lane, the lane will be around 50% wider for a time. This causes the car to suddenly lurch to the right as it tries to stay in the center of the lane. Again, a car that is trying to merge and is waiting for me to pass, would not expect me to suddenly pull right in front of them like that. Would be better if it just stayed close to left lane marker when the lane widens temporarily. Thoughts?

Yup, standard operating procedure, has been since I got the car 3 years ago, and still works that way on 2021.24.10 after 77 firmware updates. Most of learning to drive a Tesla is knowing when to NOT use the AutoGoodies and turning them off in time. Not an especially comforting driving experience.

 

[MY-Y]

Yes, those things are annoying. I keep my foot on the gas pedal when a car is merging to stop the car from hitting the brakes when it's not appropriate.

Sometimes I hold the wheel straight to prevent it from drifting several feet to the right when the merge lane makes my lane appear wider. This kicks off the autopilot, but not the TACC. Somehow, I hope Tesla is notified when AP is kicked off and will do something about it - optimistic, I know.

 

[Maxters]

"Autopilot" is not capable of changes in lanes.

Are you talking about FSD with Autosteer?

I have seen that behavior when it's not on FSD and just on Cruise with Autosteer.. But that's because it's only keeping track of things that in your lane. It's not expecting the car next to you to all of a sudden end up in your lane due to a line ending.