How would you like to see the Auto Pilot improved?

[Colin Campbell]

Much talk on this forum has been how to improve the Model X (Doors/Sun Shade etc.) I thought it would be good to just focus on one piece of technology. I am certain Tesla engineers review the forums so felt it was ideal to leave feedback here.
I would also like to hear your stories of how passengers/other users are accepting the technology.

I have recently become a real fan of auto driving or more correctly auto assisted driving. It has been wonderful to drive around South Florida on the main roads with Auto Steering and Cruise. One still has to remain on a heightened alert (even more so with new technology) when using the Auto features, but it has become a welcome aid in my daily routine.

I did have a situation driving a friend to Miami who got very upset about the technology and threatened to get out of the vehicle if I engaged anything auto. He just didn't trust it. I spend that day driving in traffic for almost 4 hours wishing I could use even features. Even I was paranoid in the first few weeks but over time I have begun to understand its strengths and weaknesses and know how to operate it correctly.

I do fear that users will make mistakes like (texting while driving) and accidents will occur leading to lawsuits and Tesla eventually taking away the features.

Here are few ideas for improvement:

1) Slow down around speed bumps, railway tracks, and intersections. Clearly the vehicle has GPS capability to drop speed like it does for the garage opening or the suspension drop. Based on GPS it would be easy to tell the system to drop speed by 25% when going through any of these areas.

2) Stop at all red lights and stop signs. Sounds crazy but it can read the speed limit sign so it doesn't seem too hard to engage stop. If it doesn't engage the user would need to apply the break and would have to be aware.

3) Slow down sooner when approaching vehicles - Improves energy efficiency and quite frankly doesn't scare the passengers as much.

4) I had an issue when driving on a curved road where the Auto did not see the car in front until we were a lot closer. I engaged manual stop and at the same time the car also beeped and tried to stop. Curves might be tricky but needs to be improved.

If you have any other experiences you would like to share feel free to do so here.

Colin.club
Vin #945

 

[cclaygo]

Number 3 is a must!

 

[FarmerDave]

I drive a country highway that has many whoop-de-dos and small curves. Autopilot is unreliable on that road. I no longer use it on that road since I had to grab the wheel when it tried to turn into an oncoming car at 60 mph. Autopilot seems to work fine on Interstates and most highways, but it must do better on country highways before it can be "autonomous".

 

[BigMskiman]

Agree with all said so far.

I'm experimenting a lot on all different kinds of roads, recently from SF to Mendocino, but also around SF east bay, Niles Canyon. Straighter is better, sharp curves not. But very impressed with curve following in many places.

I'm very happy to see when long broken line segments, and/or incoming cars from on-ramp, force me to grab the wheel. Great!

What I'd like to see now, is an indicator of which spacing I've set, (1-6), on the small screen, so I can

 

[rickrickrick]

I drive a country highway that has many whoop-de-dos and small curves. Autopilot is unreliable on that road. I no longer use it on that road since I had to grab the wheel when it tried to turn into an oncoming car at 60 mph. Autopilot seems to work fine on Interstates and most highways, but it must do better on country highways before it can be "autonomous".

Model S driver here but looking at the Model X. FarmerDave is spot on, biggest improvement needed is on hills with curves.

 

[Saghost]

View attachment 175502

Much talk on this forum has been how to improve the Model X (Doors/Sun Shade etc.) I thought it would be good to just focus on one piece of technology. I am certain Tesla engineers review the forums so felt it was ideal to leave feedback here.
I would also like to hear your stories of how passengers/other users are accepting the technology.

I have recently become a real fan of auto driving or more correctly auto assisted driving. It has been wonderful to drive around South Florida on the main roads with Auto Steering and Cruise. One still has to remain on a heightened alert (even more so with new technology) when using the Auto features, but it has become a welcome aid in my daily routine.

I did have a situation driving a friend to Miami who got very upset about the technology and threatened to get out of the vehicle if I engaged anything auto. He just didn't trust it. I spend that day driving in traffic for almost 4 hours wishing I could use even features. Even I was paranoid in the first few weeks but over time I have begun to understand its strengths and weaknesses and know how to operate it correctly.

I do fear that users will make mistakes like (texting while driving) and accidents will occur leading to lawsuits and Tesla eventually taking away the features.

Here are few ideas for improvement:

1) Slow down around speed bumps, railway tracks, and intersections. Clearly the vehicle has GPS capability to drop speed like it does for the garage opening or the suspension drop. Based on GPS it would be easy to tell the system to drop speed by 25% when going through any of these areas.

2) Stop at all red lights and stop signs. Sounds crazy but it can read the speed limit sign so it doesn't seem too hard to engage stop. If it doesn't engage the user would need to apply the break and would have to be aware.

3) Slow down sooner when approaching vehicles - Improves energy efficiency and quite frankly doesn't scare the passengers as much.

4) I had an issue when driving on a curved road where the Auto did not see the car in front until we were a lot closer. I engaged manual stop and at the same time the car also beeped and tried to stop. Curves might be tricky but needs to be improved.

If you have any other experiences you would like to share feel free to do so here.

Colin.club
Vin #945

What I really most want for Autopilot is the ability to change lanes on the freeway entirely on its own - and then a link in to the Navigation system, so that it can route itself. However, that appears to be beyond the September 2014 hardware package (AP can't access the rear camera feed and there's no other long range rear sensing.)

I'm expecting to see it stopping for red lights and stop signs in one of the next couple firmware revisions (of course, it won't be able to go on its own with current hardware.)

I'm also expecting/hoping for it to learn to dodge/stop for deer and pedestrians soon (I assume it doesn't already or we would have heard them talking about it.)
Walter

 

[BornToFly]

I wish the car was more intelligent and didn't just stay in the middle of the lane. If I'm in the far left lane and I'm passing someone in the middle lane that is drifting onto the white line on my right, the car should adjust like a human and move to the left side of the lane to give that distracted driver to my right more room. Or better yet, if I'm in the left lane, stay left of center to give more of a safe cushion to the cars in the middle lane.

 

[xkwizit]

I wish...the car would just drive me home and I can get a nap going home or do some work on way to work

 

[Blue Millenium]

Have autopilot Drive a little bit more to the right when passing trucks. I feel intimidated when passing large vehicles so closely on autopilot

 

[Colin Campbell]

I wish the car was more intelligent and didn't just stay in the middle of the lane. If I'm in the far left lane and I'm passing someone in the middle lane that is drifting onto the white line on my right, the car should adjust like a human and move to the left side of the lane to give that distracted driver to my right more room. Or better yet, if I'm in the left lane, stay left of center to give more of a safe cushion to the cars in the middle lane.

I too have the issue when I am on a road that has no median. It drives as close to center as possible which is good but people tend to drive just slightly to the right when oncoming traffic is approaching. If there is a biker or person/obstacle on the right it should slow down and go to the middle under that scenario.

Colin

 

[indy360]

It needs to be smarter when on the right lane of the freeway. It does not do well when dealing with cars trying to merge. I don't know if it has the ability to read lights on the cars in front of me but if the car is feathering the breaks in front of me then it should slowly leave a bigger gap in anticipation of the car breaking in front of me.

 

[MyModelX]

Also I noticed that when you use lane change feature, car does not sense a car in the blind spot. I had this experience twice when the car was going to change lane even thought there was a car next to us. I had to take over. I spoke to someone at Tesla and they told me that Lane Change is unreliable. I would like that fixed for the next release.

 

[proven]

It seems to me that one of the next hardware improvements should be a second camera in front that is looking farther down the road to better anticipate curves and traffic. The current camera seems to be focused at the lines pretty close to the car.

 

[cclaygo]

This is probably the best change they can make...look farther down the road.

 

[JimVandegriff]

I've had to take over when in the right hand lane going around a curve to the left with an exit on the right. The autopilot seems to want to take the exit instead of continuing in its lane around the curve.

 

[xkwizit]

Also I noticed that when you use lane change feature, car does not sense a car in the blind spot. I had this experience twice when the car was going to change lane even thought there was a car next to us. I had to take over. I spoke to someone at Tesla and they told me that Lane Change is unreliable. I would like that fixed for the next release.

That's right the Gen 1 AP isn't able to detect vehicles behind though the ultrasonic sensors will catch if the other vehicle is close to yours. Thus, for lane change you need to make sure the lane is clear before initiating lane change. I hope Gen 2 AP will have a camera for the rear.

 

[CHG-ON]

I pretty much had no issues with AP at all until my latest SW update. The car slowed gently and predictably when approaching slowed or stopped cars, seemed to stay in the center of the lane very smoothly, took fairly tight curves especially well. Now that I am on .37, she is all over the road. The worst it has been since roll out when it would dive for turn lanes. I have read that others are having issues also. I'm not sure what they did. But it messed me up. I have found, after doing three complete reboots in sequence, that it is a little better.

I sure hope it gets back to where it was just one SW ago.

 

[Blastphemy]

The main issues I have with AutoSteer is when I'm in the carpool lane, funny enough. The Model X really wants to be centered on the lane, but this preoccupation causes it to frequently come much to close to the left side concrete where it encroaches on the lane under bridge supports. It also does a terrible (rather, no job at all) of moving to the left a bit when motorcyclists pass on the right.

Rather than mercilessly trying to center itself on the lane, the Model X should try to position itself more logically in the space available. For example, I've noticed it really has a hard time when there are two double-yellow lines to the right instead of one - it has all that flexibility to be a little more to the right, but instead hugs the concrete divider on the left much too close than is necessary.

 

[elguapo]

Honestly, I think it's close to as good as it will get with AP 1 hardware. Some of the features here, like slowing earlier, can be implemented now through SW. But hill/curve issues have to do with what the camera can see and that won't get better with this hardware.

As it relates to stop signs and red lights, I'd love for the car to recognize these. Starting from a four way stop is reportedly driving Google's cars nuts, so as was said up thread, the driver will have to tell the car when to go after a stop sign.

Everyone (including Tesla) is using Mobileye's front camera in association with radar. So Mobileye is releasing (or has just released) its newest hardware, and I understand it has more cameras. The S and X also need rear radar to be more autonomous, not just a camera. The TM engineers can do awesome SW feats with the Mobileye hardware, but I do think they're reaching a limit with version 1.

 

[GottaGetRidOfICE]

Also I noticed that when you use lane change feature, car does not sense a car in the blind spot. I had this experience twice when the car was going to change lane even thought there was a car next to us. I had to take over. I spoke to someone at Tesla and they told me that Lane Change is unreliable. I would like that fixed for the next release.

Related, although a bit off topic, but Blind Spot Detection is a glaring defect. My kids' Volvo can do it well, my wife's Range Rover can do it well, but I'm ashamed that my Tesla is third best in my household. They should disable lane change until they fix this. I brag on the car all the time, but this is embarrassing. I've yet to take anyone with a high-end car for a demo who doesn't remark on this weakness.