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Blind spot and relationship to surrounding vehicles shown on display ...

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Only have a few drives in and only a couple highway drives as just took delivery last week so newb question. The blind spot's seem worse than any other vehicle I have driven. I then realized it shows vehicles around me on the screen (DUH its a Tesla) so thought was good, but when trying to use that I would have been in accidents from vehicles changing lanes close to next to me and/or have found I moved over right in front of someone (sorry if it was you LOL). After testing this further seems vehicles approaching from rear are much closer to my bumper than my car in the display. Its almost as if I see anything behind me in the display its probably not a good idea to move over as likely at my bumper rather than the car length or two it seems to show ... its like my car should be pushed all the way to the bottom of the display. It also does not seem to update as quickly as it would need to to count on this display. Is it just me or does its entire blind spot and surrounding vehicle display just suck and should just stick on some blind spot mirrors? Will try the live rear view camera and/or some mirror adjustments next round but not very confident in traffic currently. Unless missing something, shocked how far behind Tesla would be now on blind spot detection compared to many other new vehicles (some 5+ years old now) I have seen.
 
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I haven't noticed a bigger problem than any other car I've driven of this size. I definitely wouldn't depend on the display only. Many people have claimed to have no blind spots with proper mirror adjustment. That's not the case for me. I have to do a shoulder check to catch cars close to me, or leave a gap between the rearview mirror field of view and the side mirror view. Same as every other car I've driven. Side collision avoidance should catch a serious error, but of course I wouldn't depend on it except as a backup.
 
For blind spots, I suggest using traditional method. At all times. Use whatever it is that Tesla offers as a backup. Ideally, Tesla should flawlessly detect and alert you of a vehicle driving in your blind spot when - 1) you initiated a turn signal or 2) didn’t initiate turn signal and started changing lanes (it does this today). The system has some catch up to do. Showing red cars on the screen is really not that useful. Either that or I am using it wrong. Honestly I could live without any of it present.

And it does not have a rear cross-traffic detection and alert systems, period. This was critical to me and almost a deal breaker. But I decided to live with it. I just stand behind the car and use summon. Safer than anything else :)
 
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For blind spots, I suggest using traditional method. At all times. Use whatever it is that Tesla offers as a backup. Ideally, Tesla should flawlessly detect and alert you of a vehicle driving in your blind spot when - 1) you initiated a turn signal or 2) didn’t initiate turn signal and started changing lanes (it does this today). The system has some catch up to do. Showing red cars on the screen is really not that useful. Either that or I am using it wrong. Honestly I could live without any of it present.

It also audibly alerts if you try changing into a lane where someone is already in the way (though IIRC this is a setting you can change)


And it does not have a rear cross-traffic detection and alert systems, period. This was critical to me and almost a deal breaker. But I decided to live with it. I just stand behind the car and use summon. Safer than anything else :)


Backing into parking spots, so you can pull out forward, is actually a lot safer- which is why most commercial drivers are taught to do it that way -and why the cars own auto-park does it that way too.
 
Consider aiming your mirrors outward like Avoiding The Blind Spot, since that's kinda tough to do while in motion on a 3, you can do the below:

What I start with is putting my head against the left window and adjusting the left mirror so that I can no longer see the side of the car. Then, move your head to the right the same distance away from the center and do the same for the right mirror. There's no point in having any of the side of your car visible in the side mirrors.

I had to do this since late 2003 when I got a Nissan 350Z and found it had massive blind spots in the rear corners. I do this on every car I drive now.

I still check over my shoulder almost every time prior to a lane change: SMOG (as I was taught in driver's ed): signal, mirror, over-the-shoulder, then go. About the only exceptions are if there's absolutely no traffic or if a lane just opened to my left or right.
 
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It also audibly alerts if you try changing into a lane where someone is already in the way (though IIRC this is a setting you can change)





Backing into parking spots, so you can pull out forward, is actually a lot safer- which is why most commercial drivers are taught to do it that way -and why the cars own auto-park does it that way too.

The more I think about your backing into the parking spot quote, the more it makes sense to me. I am definitely going to start doing that exclusively.

As for the blind spot, yes I already mentioned that it does give an audible alert when going out of a lane if there’s something in the blind spot. I just find the on screen red car kind of useless because no one should be looking at the screen especially when changing lanes.
 
For blind spots, I suggest using traditional method. At all times. Use whatever it is that Tesla offers as a backup. Ideally, Tesla should flawlessly detect and alert you of a vehicle driving in your blind spot when - 1) you initiated a turn signal or 2) didn’t initiate turn signal and started changing lanes (it does this today). The system has some catch up to do. Showing red cars on the screen is really not that useful. Either that or I am using it wrong. Honestly I could live without any of it present.

And it does not have a rear cross-traffic detection and alert systems, period. This was critical to me and almost a deal breaker. But I decided to live with it. I just stand behind the car and use summon. Safer than anything else :)
Same here. I just got mine a week ago, and came from a Volt. Not having cross-traffic and blind spot was a deal breaker, I am still trying to adjust.
 
I used to always back in when parking but one thing to note is that sentry mode likely won't catch the license plate of a potential door dinger because the side cameras are facing the other way and the front camera is too narrow. Whenever I plan on using sentry mode, I always park facing in.
 
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The more I think about your backing into the parking spot quote, the more it makes sense to me. I am definitely going to start doing that exclusively.

As for the blind spot, yes I already mentioned that it does give an audible alert when going out of a lane if there’s something in the blind spot. I just find the on screen red car kind of useless because no one should be looking at the screen especially when changing lanes.

Is this supposed to work without AP? I've had my 3 for a week and have never had an audible alert nor can I see cars on the left most of the time (have a service apt but have first been told there is nothing wrong then there is "a little something").
I did notice on a freeway I had inadvertently strayed into part of the adjacent lane but did not get any warning.
 
Consider aiming your mirrors outward like Avoiding The Blind Spot, ....
Yea, haven't had a blind spot in over a decade through multiple cars since I learned this "trick". I bet WAY less than 5% of the people on the road have their mirrors set correctly. I believe have NEVER rode with anyone who had them set correctly. If everyone did this there would be NO NEED for blind spot monitoring. Of course it is still a nice feature to have but I see all cars behind and beside me in my mirrors.

Setting the mirrors properly should be part of all drivers licenses tests so people learn correctly to start.
 
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Is this supposed to work without AP? I've had my 3 for a week and have never had an audible alert nor can I see cars on the left most of the time (have a service apt but have first been told there is nothing wrong then there is "a little something").
I did notice on a freeway I had inadvertently strayed into part of the adjacent lane but did not get any warning.
I get an audible warning and the cars steers itself back in the lane without AP being turned on. Have you checked your Lane Departure Avoidance and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance settings?
 
I found that the display is more accurate while in motion above 40mph than at 5mph. It seems to me that the cameras are tuned to contrast change (the change between the background and an object) and that happens when something is moving(more contrast change from a moving object than a stationary one). Also it takes a bit of time for the cameras to calibrate. I've noticed after a good sized update, the vehicles are a bit wonky in the display then it sorts itself out over 10 miles or so.
 
I initially found the mirrors to be downright terrible, and I still think they're a bit sub par. I've done two things and it's made a huge difference.

1.) I put these in the top corner of the side mirrors. It makes backing into parking spots easier because you can see the lines, and it also gives you a wide view of the lane. Of course I'm coming from a 1500 crew cab Silverado, so I was used to having them stock.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EVMT6A8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


2.) I actually decided you know what, yeah I've been driving a long time, but I'm going to watch this video on setting my mirrors correctly, and it really made a huge difference.

 
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And it does not have a rear cross-traffic detection and alert systems, period. This was critical to me and almost a deal breaker. But I decided to live with it. I just stand behind the car and use summon. Safer than anything else :)

I've never had a car with a backup camera or rear cross-traffic detection before the Model 3. At least the rear camera has a pretty wide field of view, which has been better than not being able to see anything when backing out. Even with it, there have also been times where I've summoned it out of the space from between two huge SUVs/trucks because it was safer than being in the car.
 
Thanks everyone! I was aware of the mirror adjusting but had them set in by default as now remember have better visibility to cars overcoming me from rear as they cross into the lane I am merging into. I guess its figuring out the lesser of a few different evils and I know rear view helps too with that issue. It did make a big difference on today's commute with them adjusted out so at least felt confident again. I do have a pair of blind spot mirrors on order so that will likely be best setup for me so can use similar technique on all the vehicles I drive.
 
I get an audible warning and the cars steers itself back in the lane without AP being turned on. Have you checked your Lane Departure Avoidance and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance settings?
Yes they are both set on by default and I have NO warnings (have service set I think, but never got confirm email and doesn't show up on app and can't chat or get any confirm w/o another hour on hold!)