Cross Wind, Steering and Autopilot

[ytwytw]

Driving on QEW and 400 frequently recently

I notice severe cross wind could also affect Model X steering
I don’t have such issue when I drive GL550 today (wind is strong today but not as bad as last week)

When I turn on AS, it seems that AP could not steer enough to compensate the cross wind, causing left-right bumping and eventually ask to take control immediately with beeping warning.

Is it normal? Does it happen to you?

Model X is much heavier than GL550, but could be possible not implemented any cross wind assist in body design so that it can’t handle strong cross wind.

 

[Doug_G]

I haven't seen this on the S, but the X has a much larger cross section and would bemore vulnerable.

 

[TaoJones]

The only times the car was blown off track (which is to say AP disengaged) was during a combination of narsty headwinds and crosswinds (and some intermittent rain just for good measure) whilst transiting the Badlands (of South Dakota). Got a whopping 170 miles from a 100% charge as I recall during part of that stretch. Anyway, it only happened twice but it did get my attention.

Fortunately, nowhere else across 48 states and provinces have I had the inestimable pleasure of almost being blown off the road sideways. And that includes driving through the aftermath of 2 hurricanes with the joys of sideways rain for miles through Tennessee and Georgia, and... some other place back east.

All in all, the car is a mountain goat. Both cars - with and without AWD, fwiw.

I would imagine the larger profile of the X probably didn't help matters in the OP's case.

 

[ytwytw]

Snow + ice is worse than hurricanes

I can see micro cars like smart blowing away by the wind on QEW near sky bridge... and I bet it’s not equipped with winter tires

 

[SmartElectric]

micro cars like smart blowing away by the wind on QEW near sky bridge

That would be the previous Smart model.
My new 2017 Smart ED has optional cross wind assist technology!
Active, passive, innovative.

Crosswind Assist assists the driver in the event of sudden gusts of wind:

• Course-correcting brake intervention via esp®
• Much less drifting off track, resulting in noticeably lower steering effort
• Enhanced safety and comfort for the driver
• Activated from a speed of 80 km/h during straight-ahead driving and in slight bends

Cool Eh!?

 

[Frankman60]

I noticed on a recent trip in my 2016 MS that with moderate cross winds at freeway speeds, AP1 allowed the car to drift left or right with wind gusts before correcting. AP1 did keep the car within the lane lines with cross winds, but I was able to do a much better job of correcting for each gust and keeping the car much more centered in the lane. Even though AP1 did not disengage, I didn’t use it where I encountered wind gusts.

Driving on QEW and 400 frequently recently

I notice severe cross wind could also affect Model X steering
I don’t have such issue when I drive GL550 today (wind is strong today but not as bad as last week)

When I turn on AS, it seems that AP could not steer enough to compensate the cross wind, causing left-right bumping and eventually ask to take control immediately with beeping warning.

Is it normal? Does it happen to you?

Model X is much heavier than GL550, but could be possible not implemented any cross wind assist in body design so that it can’t handle strong cross wind.

 

[ytwytw]

That would be the previous Smart model.
My new 2017 Smart ED has optional cross wind assist technology!
Active, passive, innovative.



Cool Eh!?

How is the range in such weather now?

I returned my 2014 smart ED in the past Nov,
I like it but it’s too expensive for the new one

 

[SmartElectric]

New Smart ED has heated steering wheel, seats and is far more efficient, about 15% more range in bad weather vs the outgoing model. I'm finding 80 km range in -20C weather, which is better then the 60 km range of the old car in these Arctic conditions this past week here in Ontario Canada. The L2 onboard charger is 7kW which means it now takes half the time, only a couple hours to charge from empty to the 17.6kWh full capacity.