I picked up a brand new Model 3 (base model) in December 2021 and have since put 14,000 miles on it, mostly from my 120 mile roundtrip work commute. Thankfully, I have a reverse commute, and it is 98% highway driving.
I have a few complaints regarding the autopilot and cruise control.
1. I will get phantom braking with both systems while on the highway. I have had occasions where I am certain had there been someone tailgating me, I would have been rear ended, so severe and abrupt was the deceleration. Most of the time there is no obvious trigger, although I sometimes suspect shadows, the sun or gradual road undulations (like going up a gradual hill) have something to do with it. One instance I am sure has triggered it is when I am passing large trailers while I am in the left lane. These are typically not semis with normal trailers, but wide, metal frame trailers that landscapers tow with pick up trucks (these are omnipresent here in Houston). I have to say that the most recent software update seems to have greatly diminished phantom breaking when passing trailers. However, the apparently random phantom braking (from shadows or undulations or whatever) persist at the same frequency.
2. Autopilot in my Model 3 is restricted to 80 mph. If you put your foot on the accelerator and hit 82 or 83 mph (say to pass someone), the system goes into red-alert and shuts off AP and prevents you from turning it back on until you stop the car. Here in Texas, we have posted highway speeds of 75 mph. Most people are going 80-85 mph. So in order to pass someone here, realistically you are going to be triggering red alert mode all the time. On my long commute, this is highly inconvenient. I am not sure if this is a limitation they have put in due to using cameras exclusively instead of radar, but it would be much appreciated if they raised the AP limit to 85-90 mph or at a minimum raised the threshold for shutting the system down to 90 mph (instead of the current 82 or 83 mph).
3. The cruise control is terrible when accelerating back to your set speed--the rate of acceleration is so slow that I often get people passing me using the right lane. No other car or SUV I have owned or driven has had adaptive CC with acceleration this languid. It doesn't need to be pedal to the metal, but c'mon, I feel like my grandmother with the acceleration of the current CC.
I am planning to take a 1000 mile road trip with the family this summer. I would love to take the Tesla, but the above issues are giving me serious pause (especially points 1 and 3). The phantom braking issue is particularly startling and jarring for passengers, presumably because they are not bracing something like the steering wheel when it occurs. It is such an absolute pity, because the Model 3 is a tremendous highway cruiser when you ignore the issues with the autonomous systems.
I have a few complaints regarding the autopilot and cruise control.
1. I will get phantom braking with both systems while on the highway. I have had occasions where I am certain had there been someone tailgating me, I would have been rear ended, so severe and abrupt was the deceleration. Most of the time there is no obvious trigger, although I sometimes suspect shadows, the sun or gradual road undulations (like going up a gradual hill) have something to do with it. One instance I am sure has triggered it is when I am passing large trailers while I am in the left lane. These are typically not semis with normal trailers, but wide, metal frame trailers that landscapers tow with pick up trucks (these are omnipresent here in Houston). I have to say that the most recent software update seems to have greatly diminished phantom breaking when passing trailers. However, the apparently random phantom braking (from shadows or undulations or whatever) persist at the same frequency.
2. Autopilot in my Model 3 is restricted to 80 mph. If you put your foot on the accelerator and hit 82 or 83 mph (say to pass someone), the system goes into red-alert and shuts off AP and prevents you from turning it back on until you stop the car. Here in Texas, we have posted highway speeds of 75 mph. Most people are going 80-85 mph. So in order to pass someone here, realistically you are going to be triggering red alert mode all the time. On my long commute, this is highly inconvenient. I am not sure if this is a limitation they have put in due to using cameras exclusively instead of radar, but it would be much appreciated if they raised the AP limit to 85-90 mph or at a minimum raised the threshold for shutting the system down to 90 mph (instead of the current 82 or 83 mph).
3. The cruise control is terrible when accelerating back to your set speed--the rate of acceleration is so slow that I often get people passing me using the right lane. No other car or SUV I have owned or driven has had adaptive CC with acceleration this languid. It doesn't need to be pedal to the metal, but c'mon, I feel like my grandmother with the acceleration of the current CC.
I am planning to take a 1000 mile road trip with the family this summer. I would love to take the Tesla, but the above issues are giving me serious pause (especially points 1 and 3). The phantom braking issue is particularly startling and jarring for passengers, presumably because they are not bracing something like the steering wheel when it occurs. It is such an absolute pity, because the Model 3 is a tremendous highway cruiser when you ignore the issues with the autonomous systems.
