Do you guys engage autopilot at lights?

[UnitaryExecutive]

I rode with my wife the other day and I noticed she engaged autopilot as we approached an intersection and I freaked out a little bit and told her how autopilot doesn't recognize traffic lights and she shouldn't use it going through intersections.

She gave me this annoyed look and I realized she only uses it when there's a car in front so she doesn't have to brake and then, once stopped, it also allows her to not have to pay attention and can text, surf facebook, etc and she puts the phone down when the car starts moving again.

 

[Freedom101]

I use it if there's a car in front of me sometimes.

I have this weird feeling that I'm going to get too used to using it at lights and forget there's not a car in front of me one of these days. I'm probably overly sensitive to it now but don't want to get complacent. Has me wondering if anyone has done this.

 

[Tam]

...autopilot as we approached an intersection...

Yes, I do with any opportunity I can and if the light changes, a light tap on the brake would take care to disable it.

I don't see any problem as long as the driver is in control.

 

[Blu Zap]

She gave me this annoyed look and I realized she only uses it when there's a car in front so she doesn't have to brake and then, once stopped, it also allows her to not have to pay attention and can text, surf facebook, etc and she puts the phone down when the car starts moving again.

What!? Don't even look at your phone here in California. The cops are looking for you. It is distracted driving even if you are stopped. Also pretty dangerous. AP has its purpose. It is definitely NOT how she is using it. Very unsafe. Glad I am not driving on Denver Colorado roads.

 

[LosAltosChuck]

I engage it as much as I can, especially that situation. I don't start texting and facebooking though!

Do the quad-pull at the traffic light, and roll down your windows. Everyone needs more cowbell, and not all the surrounding traffic has Teslas to deliver it.

 

[outie]

Sometimes yes, not always. A few times I engaged it too late, the car abruptly stopped to keep following distance. I am sure I pissed off the car behind. Nowadays I engage it after the car is completely stopped (and obviously behind a stopped car) so the car can start moving on its own when light turns green.

Another reason I don't use that a lot is I am not very confident about the car stopping in time as it approaches stopped traffic.

Now please educate your wife to put her phone away even @ stoplight. Sometimes you still need to be aware of your surrounding. True story: I was stopped at an intersection with 3 lanes @ the right-most lane. There were 2 cars in front of me. All of a sudden these 2 cars moved forward, running the red light. Not knowing wtf was going on, I moved forward to take up the space and saw there was a car on opposite side turning left rolling forward, with a fire truck behind it waving at me to move. I then realized the driver of the car was unconscious with the passenger trying to turn the wheel. I had to reverse immediately or the car would've hit me. It stopped literally right in front of my car hitting the sidewalk/curb.

 

[kort677]

I rode with my wife the other day and I noticed she engaged autopilot as we approached an intersection and I freaked out a little bit and told her how autopilot doesn't recognize traffic lights and she shouldn't use it going through intersections.

She gave me this annoyed look and I realized she only uses it when there's a car in front so she doesn't have to brake and then, once stopped, it also allows her to not have to pay attention and can text, surf facebook, etc and she puts the phone down when the car starts moving again.

If I encounter a red light ahead I'll disengage autopilot and let the regen slow the car down, I have AP set at 1 and the braking can be harsh. once stopped I will reengage the AP so on the green it goes with the flow of traffic/

 

[Peteybabes]

I rode with my wife the other day and I noticed she engaged autopilot as we approached an intersection and I freaked out a little bit and told her how autopilot doesn't recognize traffic lights and she shouldn't use it going through intersections.

She gave me this annoyed look and I realized she only uses it when there's a car in front so she doesn't have to brake and then, once stopped, it also allows her to not have to pay attention and can text, surf facebook, etc and she puts the phone down when the car starts moving again.

i do this... its always fun when you are in a turn lane to see how far around the corner the car goes too before i have to take over.

 

[AndreyATC]

There is a small problem with this...
If you do it on the intersection when there is a single car in front of you and that car takes right turn on red

 

[kort677]

There is a small problem with this...
If you do it on the intersection when there is a single car in front of you and that car takes right turn on red

I would think that always being aware of what's going on when AP is engaged would apply

 

[outie]

There is a small problem with this...
If you do it on the intersection when there is a single car in front of you and that car takes right turn on red

But as the car starts moving his wife would've turned her focus back on the road, right? RIGHT?

 

[ecarfan]

She gave me this annoyed look and I realized she only uses it when there's a car in front so she doesn't have to brake and then, once stopped, it also allows her to not have to pay attention and can text, surf facebook, etc and she puts the phone down when the car starts moving again

I strongly recommend that no one adopt that driving strategy. TACC and AP are not perfect. Tesla is clear that the driver is responsible at all times. TACC and AP are best suited for divided highways with no cross traffic. Period.

There is a small problem with this...
If you do it on the intersection when there is a single car in front of you and that car takes right turn on red

Yes, that is only one of a number of scenarios that could occur that could cause serious problems.