Went out and did a bunch of unprotected left turns similar to Chuck Cook's UPL testing today. I worked UPLs on two four-lane roads with medians to see how well improved 10.12.2 is and see if the car would use the median.
The first road had moderate traffic density with stop signs about 1/4 mile left and right that metered the traffic. This ensured that there was usually some cross traffic in each direction, but also ensured that there would be only a few cars with frequent gaps. I did about 10 UPLs from an intersection with good visibility in each direction.
The second road had heavier traffic, similar to the intersection where Chuck Cook films his youtube videos. visibility varied depending on th eintersection used, but generally good visibility in each direction. I did about 10 UPLs here as well.
The Good:
The first road had moderate traffic density with stop signs about 1/4 mile left and right that metered the traffic. This ensured that there was usually some cross traffic in each direction, but also ensured that there would be only a few cars with frequent gaps. I did about 10 UPLs from an intersection with good visibility in each direction.
The second road had heavier traffic, similar to the intersection where Chuck Cook films his youtube videos. visibility varied depending on th eintersection used, but generally good visibility in each direction. I did about 10 UPLs here as well.
The Good:
- FSD performed an acceptable turn about 8 times out of 10 on the first road and about 5 of 10 on the second. I was pleasantly surprised at how much improved this was over previous versions.
- All turns were smoothly executed with no steering wheel jerking.
- The car applied more acceleration coming out of the turn than in the past. Much more. It would turn out into the lane with a car coming up from behind, then romp on the juice. Nice to see the car use some more of it's capabilities!
- The car definitely used the median. The first time it did this, I was really surprised. It did this about half the time.
- FSD never bailed out to take a right turn instead of the left, as happened to Chuck Cook in his 10.12.2 UPL video. His intersection does have more blockage to the left than the ones I used.
- It takes a LOT of faith to let FSD creep at the line. It will creep forward further than you think is safe and start the creep just as a car is crossing on your left. It is very hard to trust it and not hit the brake to disconnect. In my case (YMMV!) FSD always stopped, but it took a couple attempts before I became confident in it. Use caution and keep your foot covering the brake!
- On some tests, FSD hesitated entering the intersection too long when the road was clear.
- Once FSD entered the intersection, it would often move very slowly across the first set of lanes to the point that approaching traffic from the left would get too close and I would need to intervene with the accelerator if the way from the right was clear.
- One the busier road, the median is narrower than the first. FSD would stop in the median, but would not, or could not, move into it far enough. This left the rear half of the car in a lane of approaching traffic. This is a high pucker-factor scenario that required intervention.
- I got one Red Wheel of Death on approaching one of the turns on an unlined residential street. FSD beta came back available in a few seconds, so not a major factor. This was the first RWD I've gotten on this version.
