How hard should I have to torque the steering wheel to keep autopilot engaged?

[GoCanes]

Dear m,

I've tried the six-o-clock steering wheel grip in the past and it's not worked well for me -- the car doesn't see my grip unless I torque *hard*. Go figger.

Twiddling the distance selector is a new one to me! I knew about the scroll wheels, but not that. Gonna have to give it a try, just for the heck of it.

I like having many ways to do this because it's hard on the arms on long drives to have to keep doing the same thing from the same position.

Thanks!

pax / Ctein

I’ve always just waited for the warning, then give the wheel a couple of jiggles - works fine. But I gotta try the scroll wheel trick - sounds great! I know that activating the turn indicator has also worked. The bottom line is that the car just wants to know that you’re awake!

 

[Ctein]

no, I found that picture on the internet. What I do is a mirror on that image - my left hand on the left side. But it could be either one, just whichever works best for you.

Dear Phil,

Yay! I've got it now! Thank you!

What was messing me up was that I kept thinking I had to MOVE the wheel for the Tesla to register my grip. No, I just have to hang on lightly and let the steering move against me. Let the wheel do the work!

(The official info implies otherwise. I don't blame Tesla -- tell people "just drape your hand on the wheel " would be kinda like asking them to not pay attention!)

Just completed a thousand mile run to Albuquerque, and it worked like a charm. The only time I got a "move wheel" warning was on a REALLY straight stretch of I-5. Now it is so much second nature holding the wheel that way that I'm not even aware I'm doing anything. I switch arms (or positions) when I get stiff, otherwise I don't notice.

Only times I got kicked out of Autopilot (and had to pull off to park and reset) were:

1) It panicked (unnecessarily) going past a semi and tried to swerve and I overcorrected and got the red screech.

2) I tried to pass a vehicle quickly, exceeded 90 MPH and got red screechie thing. (Did that more than once, I'm embarrassed to say. I'm learning to kick it out of Auto first. Good aversive conditioning )

My problem is solved and to all of you I say, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU!"

pax / Ctein

 

[Phil Seastrand]

Dear Phil,

Yay! I've got it now! Thank you!

My problem is solved and to all of you I say, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU!"

pax / Ctein

You're very welcome!