How would you like to see the Auto Pilot improved?

[Saghost]

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.

I don't have a Tesla yet, but this was one of the things I was worried about and made a point of examining on my second test drive. I felt like leaving the rear view camera up on the center screen gave me great blind spot coverage - by the time a car disappears from the screen entirely, you can see it right beside you. A motorcycle could possibly hide in that space if you didn't see him enter, but no one else can.
Walter

 

[elguapo]

@Saghost That's true, but it makes me sick to keep the rear view camera up. Literally makes me nauseous.

Given BSM has been in many cars for years and years, I must agree TM's implementation is pathetic, particularly as compared to a) the S and X's other features and b) almost any $25,000 car on the market today.

 

[aesculus]

I agree with everyones comments wrt features here. For me, lacking most of these suggestions, AP is just not ready for prime time. I will just stick to the ACC until major improvements indicate otherwise.

And while I am here why does the auto lane change work so much smoother without AP on than with it on? When I have AP off it gently changes lanes but with AP on it jerks the car into the next lane.

 

[K-MTG]

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.

What does it mess up on specifically? I currently rely too much on blindspot detector

 

[GottaGetRidOfICE]

What does it mess up on specifically? I currently rely too much on blindspot detector

It does not exist. You are not "notified" electronically of a car in your blind spot. Period.

You could use the rear camera, if that doesn't make you nauseous, but that isn't where you naturally look when changing lanes. Blind spot notification should be on the mirror or in the direction of the mirror. This is a solved problem. The Model X is a Great Leap Forward, but on this...

 

[Softwizard]

My request for AutoSTEER (my MX calls it as such) is for it to be a bit less sensitive to tar-repair strips on the road. In my part'o'the World, the road crews seem to "repair" the road with long strips of tar for the cracks. These confuse the heck out of poor AP (I mean AS) and he turns the wheel right and left too much. Actually, my wife made me post this because she won't let me use AS on our typical route (FM-1709, FWIW)

 

[BigMskiman]

I'm doing 180mi trip from SF to Mendocino, and will return tomorrow. Tried AP every time possible to destination, and all around here.

Observing same hills and curves weaknesses mentioned above, as well as super slowdowns regarding merge-on vehicles.

Happy to see AP is not locking in on some parts of twisty roads, and/or makes me takeover in them, I'm a safety nut.

The persistent blinker is my small issue. While in AP and after an auto lane change, the blinker says on forever. Software should know this blinker is finished with it's job after destination lane is being tracked successfully.

BTW: Blinker shuts off after normal 90deg intersection turns, but a manual lane change can lead to persistent blinker.

Anybody else see this on your blinkers.

What to improve? Turn off blinkers after some time, if mechanical detection of a finished steering wheel manuver is not sufficient to do so.

 

[ibeugene]

I agree with everyone's comments, I think it would be much better if autopilot and navigation system would be linked. Missed a few turns because it's was driving so smooth and I was just looking at which music to listen

 

[TaoJones]

I wish they had called it a Driver Assist package instead of Autopilot. People who drive boats and aircraft understand what autopilot is and what it is not. Not so sure about the general public.

It would be safer to be able to drift left when passing large trucks and to be able to drift right in the face of oncoming traffic. Without breaking loose from Autosteer.

It would be safer to have traffic light and stop sign recognition instead of the current state.

TACC has improved markedly since the October 2015 rollout. But still, even today the car barreled toward stopped traffic and required manual intervention.

I accept the role of informal beta tester, and use AP often so that any incremental value is uploaded and transmitted across the fleet. Also, given the lack of detailed release noted with most releases, the only way to know what changed is to drive the car.

That said, I would not feel comfortable if a less experienced family member was exposed to the AP features in their current form - especially with the lack of release notes. A swerving car does not enhance domestic harmony.

 

[xkwizit]

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.

Umm..There's something called driver responsibility to know the surroundings and using your mirrors and turning your neck. If there's traffic that close that another vehicle could be in your blind spot, do you really need to change lane driving a $150K vehicle and get hit by a junk?? Seriously guys, don't just hang up your hands and go to sleep if the car is on AP.

 

[GottaGetRidOfICE]

Umm..There's something called driver responsibility to know the surroundings and using your mirrors and turning your neck. If there's traffic that close that another vehicle could be in your blind spot, do you really need to change lane driving a $150K vehicle and get hit by a junk?? Seriously guys, don't just hang up your hands and go to sleep if the car is on AP.

I find the lack of Blind (get it, BLIND) Spot capability to make the X less safe, in certain situations, than the other cars my family owns, and HAS owned for multiple years. Yes, I turn my head, but of necessity I am turning it away from the front of the car and at my age, I don't turn as quickly or comfortably as I used to. I find this a serious defect with AP engaged or not, but less so with AP engaged as it is less disruptive to turn around then.

I don't think anyone not employed by Tesla loves the car more than I do (after all, my kids only took 9 months to meet, my car 2.5 years). Calling the lack of blind spot notification anything but an engineering blind spot is being an apologist. And that's something I don't care to be.

Well positioned mirrors and car sensors should make it simple to decide whether or not you can safely move into an adjacent lane. Nobody's asleep in my car. Nobody's "hang[ing] up their hands."

 

[Saghost]

The persistent blinker is my small issue. While in AP and after an auto lane change, the blinker says on forever. Software should know this blinker is finished with it's job after destination lane is being tracked successfully.

BTW: Blinker shuts off after normal 90deg intersection turns, but a manual lane change can lead to persistent blinker.

Anybody else see this on your blinkers.

What to improve? Turn off blinkers after some time, if mechanical detection of a finished steering wheel manuver is not sufficient to do so.

I'm not sure Tesla can fix that, without hardware changes. The turn signal lever physically locks into position, and stays in that position until physically moved, either by the driver or by the cams built in to the steering column.

The only way Tesla could fix this on existing cars is by setting AP up to make lane changes based on you holding the lever in the halfway "3 flash" position instead of locking it all the way over. At that point they could probably choose how long to have the signal stay on/when to shut it off.

 

[proven]

I agree that the blind spot detection is not great on the X. However, I've had it on two previous cars and barely remembered it was there since I was physically checking my blind spot and not looking at the little indicator light. I find the X's side mirrors sufficient. If someone is used to using the blind spot detection in another car, the X will be disappointing.

 

[elguapo]

I certainly use my mirrors and eyes, so I don't rely 100% on the tech for BSM. But, it is frustrating that the technology for good BSM indications has been out for a decade or so and is available on a $15,000 Ford Focus but not implemented well on the S or X.

I just think TM shouldn't advertise it as BSM. It would be better to say it is not available or is in Beta as there are people who use the function and the Teslas are anything but consistent here.

Question - how do cheaper cars without parking sensors implement it? I've seen a Honda Fit with BSM and no parking sensors. Wonder if Tesla just doesn't have appropriate sensors. I am not talking about the camera Honda uses on the passenger side...

 

[Colin Campbell]

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.

I did notice, after engaging the signal that when a car is approaching from behind on the right, the car still changes lanes. Happened once and the car pulling up was a bit ticked off I cut him off. I am now very careful now to make certain I don't initiate the signal without making certain no cars are approaching on the right. It should be able to detect cars approaching from behind.

Colin

 

[elguapo]

@colin It can, it just seems the sensors aren't on all the time. They do go 16' out with respect to range (per TM), so I don't understand why the BSM is non-existent/so disappointing.

It appears sensors change sensitivity at varying speeds, which makes them super inconsistent. This is beginning to bug me.

 

[xkwizit]

I find the lack of Blind (get it, BLIND) Spot capability to make the X less safe, in certain situations, than the other cars my family owns, and HAS owned for multiple years. Yes, I turn my head, but of necessity I am turning it away from the front of the car and at my age, I don't turn as quickly or comfortably as I used to. I find this a serious defect with AP engaged or not, but less so with AP engaged as it is less disruptive to turn around then.

I don't think anyone not employed by Tesla loves the car more than I do (after all, my kids only took 9 months to meet, my car 2.5 years). Calling the lack of blind spot notification anything but an engineering blind spot is being an apologist. And that's something I don't care to be.

Well positioned mirrors and car sensors should make it simple to decide whether or not you can safely move into an adjacent lane. Nobody's asleep in my car. Nobody's "hang[ing] up their hands."

I don't believe any of your ICE cars have the capability of auto lane change either. And if you have followed Tesla from the beginning they have been against the side mirrors as not only they add to the drag but are not a complete solution to 360 view of your car's surroundings. That can only be achieved by cameras. Definitely AP has lots of improvements to make as will happen with Gen 2, but getting a BSM on side view mirror..ehh. That's not something I relied on in my previous cars and it's not a feature I would want Tesla to pay attention to.

As compared to not having lane change as @GottaGetRidOfICE suggested because of lack of BSM, I would rather have Gen 2 AP. I use AP a lot on both cars and lane change is not something that really adds much value to AP till it is smart enough to move around in the lanes on its own.

 

[GottaGetRidOfICE]

And if you have followed Tesla from the beginning they have been against the side mirrors as not only they add to the drag but are not a complete solution to 360 view of your car's surroundings.

Precisely. That's why I expected Tesla to lead the way in notifying me of someone coming up on me in an adjacent lane. But, you want me to rely on the mirrors and turning my head, and in another breath tell me that' it's not a complete solution. The X has a tiny view out the rear, even with a 6 seat configuration. The pillars are big and obstruct view, and the one thing I mistakenly assumed was that in a car capable of AP version 1, they'd have blind side notification well in hand. Still love my car, and I still tell my friends that it's the safest car on the road, but we made a decision as a family to only use AP in limited circumstances and not use lane change at all. Blame the victim if that's your preference.

 

[lklundin]

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,

I believe this is the kind of evolving, dangerous situation that one should at first attempt to stop by using the horn (handled by the autopilot when engaged (until the day when it can coordinate directly with the other vehicle)). Or no?

 

[EV-lutioin]

Issues with blind spot detection has been mentioned a few times on the forum.... it is odd that cars with such advanced autopilot features would not have good blind spot detection. If you have had positive experiences with BSD, could you chime in and share how you use it and why you like it. If the consensus is that it doesn't work well, hopefully our comments will encourage TM to push out an update to improve it.