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Experience with Model 3 on 8K mile trip

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Recently took an 8K mile trip around the US with our Model 3. We have the latest FSD firmware which I have been testing out. Unfortunately, ran into quite a few issues, both with FSD and plain cruise control. Biggest problem was the car randomly applying the brakes for no apparent reason. Going from 80MPH to 50 or less very rapidly is a bit unnerving, but especially so when you have a motorcycle right behind you. I found I needed to keep my right foot resting on the accelerator to be ready to very quickly override the braking. Daytime, dry conditions, nothing but road ahead, no shadows, nothing. Possibly slight color change to road surface but nothing much at all, and most of the time I could not determine any reason for the braking.

Reacting to speed limits was another issue we needed to watch very closely. For the most part, the car would do well with increasing speed limits, but when the limit would decrease, often the car would not respond, especially in work zones. I do not think we went through any work zones where the car properly executed speed reductions, even though the speed limit showing on the screen was correct; FSD would just keep going along at the prior speed. FSD also did not properly adjust to construction cones or lane shifting in some of the construction zones.

A difference we noted between cruise control and FSD, is how the vehicle responds to a lowered speed limit. When using cruise control, and entering a lower limit zone, the car immediately starts to brake until you are traveling at the new lower speed. This may take 200-300 feet. However, on FSD, “if” the car does respond to a lower speed limit, there is no braking and it is like you take your foot off the accelerator and just let it slow down to the new lower speed on its’ own. Coming through the upper mid-west on FSD, with the flat stretches that go on for many miles, you travel a long way before you eventually slow down enough to be within a reasonable speed for the new lower speed limit; felt like bait for the Highway Patrol. Apparently two different teams have worked on the cruise control and FSD and they have not communicated.

Believe Tesla should send a bunch of test cars to Sacramento and have them drive east on Route 80 until they get to Chicago area. Was very surprised and disappointed at how poorly the Model 3 FSD did on this road. Have never experienced as many issues as we did during this part of our trip.

All this being said, I am still very much pro Tsla and know that the FSD will only get better as time goes on.
 
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Recently took an 8K mile trip around the US with our Model 3. We have the latest FSD firmware which I have been testing out. Unfortunately, ran into quite a few issues, both with FSD and plain cruise control. Biggest problem was the car randomly applying the brakes for no apparent reason. Going from 80MPH to 50 or less very rapidly is a bit unnerving, but especially so when you have a motorcycle right behind you. I found I needed to keep my right foot resting on the accelerator to be ready to very quickly override the braking. Daytime, dry conditions, nothing but road ahead, no shadows, nothing. Possibly slight color change to road surface but nothing much at all, and most of the time I could not determine any reason for the braking.

Reacting to speed limits was another issue we needed to watch very closely. For the most part, the car would do well with increasing speed limits, but when the limit would decrease, often the car would not respond, especially in work zones. I do not think we went through any work zones where the car properly executed speed reductions, even though the speed limit showing on the screen was correct; FSD would just keep going along at the prior speed. FSD also did not properly adjust to construction cones or lane shifting in some of the construction zones.

A difference we noted between cruise control and FSD, is how the vehicle responds to a lowered speed limit. When using cruise control, and entering a lower limit zone, the car immediately starts to brake until you are traveling at the new lower speed. This may take 200-300 feet. However, on FSD, “if” the car does respond to a lower speed limit, there is no braking and it is like you take your foot off the accelerator and just let it slow down to the new lower speed on its’ own. Coming through the upper mid-west on FSD, with the flat stretches that go on for many miles, you travel a long way before you eventually slow down enough to be within a reasonable speed for the new lower speed limit; felt like bait for the Highway Patrol. Apparently two different teams have worked on the cruise control and FSD and they have not communicated.

Believe Tesla should send a bunch of test cars to Sacramento and have them drive east on Route 80 until they get to Chicago area. Was very surprised and disappointed at how poorly the Model 3 FSD did on this road. Have never experienced as many issues as we did during this part of our trip.

All this being said, I am still very much pro Tsla and know that the FSD will only get better as time goes on.
Interesting. I'd try to put FSD Beta into your subject header, since it's mostly about how the FSD beta works on a long roadtrip, and what to expect.
 
Interesting. I'd try to put FSD Beta into your subject header, since it's mostly about how the FSD beta works on a long roadtrip, and what to expect.
The FSD beta doesn't work on the highway, that's just regular Autopilot. But thanks to Elon turning off radar and removing it from new cars, phantom braking happens way more frequently now. My car still slows down for Truck 55mph signs, when it shouldn't.