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Hypothetical: What happens if you blow a tire on Autopilot?

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So you're driving down the highway at 70mph on autopilot and you blow a tire.

What happens?

My guess is that when autopilot is engaged it always has a positional target for the car, and if a tire blows it will apply steering to attempt to maintain position in the lane (just like when countering strong crosswinds). However, I think autopilot also has an enforced maximum turning angle for a given speed, and this could easily be exceeded in this scenario.

Hopefully the car would recognize a rapid loss in pressure in one of the tires and begin slowing.

Anyone had this happen, or have theories on how it behaves?
 
A flat tire TPMS fault or ESP engagement should immediately disconnect autopilot and give you the red "OMG TAKE OVER NOW" beeps. That's definitely how it works in my current Audi with TACC + LDW, as I've found the hard way.

You'd be left with modern sports car ESP + ABS making an attempt to keep your car moving the way the steering wheel is pointed until you react. Much like what happens when you blow your tire in any $80k car.
 
Like Chillaban, given the existence of the TPMS system, I would expect the autopilot system to disengage by default. If TPMS did not exist (or malfunctioned and didn't report a fault), then perhaps the scenario you described can happen.
 
Like Chillaban, given the existence of the TPMS system, I would expect the autopilot system to disengage by default. If TPMS did not exist (or malfunctioned and didn't report a fault), then perhaps the scenario you described can happen.

I'm hoping it's smarter than that. Dropping AP abruptly when the tire blows out is a recipe for disaster - the driver may be distracted, may not have their hands on the wheel, etc. Those first couple seconds of the incident are probably the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major accident.

My hope would be that since it has the TPMS and wheel speeds, AP knows exactly what happened, and throws the steering limits out the window - starts slowing as quickly as seems safe, steers as necessary to hold the lane (with help from stability control as needed,) and screams for help (red takeover now, possibly some sort of blowout warning) - but doesn't disengage until it feels the human take control of the steering.
 
I'm hoping it's smarter than that. Dropping AP abruptly when the tire blows out is a recipe for disaster - the driver may be distracted, may not have their hands on the wheel, etc. Those first couple seconds of the incident are probably the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major accident.

My hope would be that since it has the TPMS and wheel speeds, AP knows exactly what happened, and throws the steering limits out the window - starts slowing as quickly as seems safe, steers as necessary to hold the lane (with help from stability control as needed,) and screams for help (red takeover now, possibly some sort of blowout warning) - but doesn't disengage until it feels the human take control of the steering.
Maybe there would be a buffer time before actual disengaging (as I believe it has today in other scenarios), but I would expect it to sound the alarm immediately.
 
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It really shouldn't be any more dramatic than have a blowout in any other car. while using the AP you are obliged to take over immediately in the event of any abnormal occurrence. you should not be distracted, like reading text, grabbing your girlfriend or reading a book. like having a blowout while driving any other car you would strive to maintain control of the vehicle and bring to a stop in a controlled safe manner. thinking AP will effectively bail you out is not only beyond the capabilities of the AP system it is just foolish.
 
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Autopilot isn't magic, guys.... There's a reason why the manual says you need to be prepared to immediately take over at any moment. The best outcome you can expect is that Autopilot will immediately disengage and sound an alarm to get your attention.
 
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Autopilot isn't magic, guys.... There's a reason why the manual says you need to be prepared to immediately take over at any moment. The best outcome you can expect is that Autopilot will immediately disengage and sound an alarm to get your attention.

I tend to think Autopilot pretty much is magic - at least under Arthur Clarke's definition. :)

Certainly in this situation intelligent programming has a much better chance of keeping control in the critical first second or two than a human does - the car knows in milliseconds that there was a blowout, and which tire blew.

I don't see any reason the computer can't be programmed to handle the initial moments of the blowout better than a human who was actively driving at the moment of blowout can, let alone one who is disengaged or distracted.
 
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I tend to think Autopilot pretty much is magic - at least under Arthur Clarke's definition. :)

Certainly in this situation intelligent programming has a much better chance of keeping control in the critical first second or two than a human does - the car knows in milliseconds that there was a blowout, and which tire blew.

I don't see any reason the computer can't be programmed to handle the initial moments of the blowout better than a human who was actively driving at the moment of blowout can, let alone one who is disengaged or distracted.
I think is his point is that although it can be, but don't expect it to be.
 
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So you're driving down the highway at 70mph on autopilot and you blow a tire.

What happens?
The driver -- that means you, human! -- takes control of the car within one second and safely slows to a stop.

Which is what people have been attempting to do since the first cars with pneumatic tires hit the roads.

During that first second after the tire fails, AP will of course attempt to continue safely steering the car.

This is a non-issue.
 
In a previous thread where I am op. I described a blowout the thread was "blowout tire on the interstate". I was using autopilot. Thought I was paying attention and did not see anything on road prior to blowout. I heard two loud pops sounded like gun shots. I grabbed the wheel immediately so I can not tell you if AP turned off or attempted correction immediately a warning signal Came on stating low air pressure. I stayed in center lane for less than a minute and then pulled off highway. I know it was not a gun shot as I had a 2 to 3 inch scratch on panel behind the tire and slight dent in the scratch. The hole was in the sidewall about the diameter of the tip of my little finger.
From the time I heard the pop to the time I took control was at most seconds if not less than a second. Traffic was medium to heavy.

I am working with admin to change my user name
 
Unfortunately most of this thread for some reason has descended into "you're responsible, you're still the driver!" and "Autopilot is not autonomous driving!" comments.

Yes, I know all that. I'm asking out of curiosity about how the system responds--not how I should respond (which of course is to take over immediately).

Guess I should have made that clear in the original post.
 
When my tire blew out I know the car stayed centered in my lane until I took over. The length of time I cannot estimate because it happened so fast. From the time I heard the pop I can tell you I scanned the front to see if it was something in front of me looked left and right then in rear view mirror. Then I felt that thump thump thump feeling of driving on a flat at 60 to 70 mph. Was it a second before I took over? Longer or shorter I can not say. I do know the car never swerved. It happened so fast I cannot say how long or far ap stayed in control before I took over

I am not trying to make a statement about driver responsibility. From my experience I just can't say how ap reacted. It would be great if tesla could look at the vehicle record at the time and let us know. As soon as I pulled onto the shoulder I called roadside assistance. You would think this was great data for future development of ap

At the time I was more broken hearted over the scratch on a car less than a week old and also worried about being rearended on the shoulder while waiting for tow truck
 
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I think AP would disengage if there was steep deviation between steering input and direction vector as with front tire blowout. Otherwise, (probably mostly with rear tire blowouts) it would try to compensate.