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I ended up hitting a car *video*

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Yeah so I’ll say it....YOU failed. Your the “driver” your vehicle is not in charge. Titles like this one are misleading.
I love how people hit the disagree button without having the fortitude to say why. So by my logic you all think it’s ok to turn on AP and completely disregard the safety of others and that it totally relinquishes your responsibility as a liscense driver. Try explaining that to a judge when you kill someone, oh what when your car kills someone.....because it’s Tesla’s fault not your right???? Idiots.( I of course use that term in its most general application and not directed at anyone in particular).
 
It is also possible that because OP over torque the steering wheel, either before or while checking email, and the car reverted from AP to TACC. I used to over torque quite often when I first got the car... I was trying to make sure I don't hit the center divider when I am in the carpool lane and put the car back to TACC. If I remember right, there is a single beep when that happen, not as loud as the beep beep when you try to do AP and AP is not available.
 
I've done this. I just got lucky and haven't hit anybody. But every once in a while I notice the car is drifting and look down - AP isn't on! I don't believe it was on in your video. Sorry you didn't quite prevent the accident. I don't really blame Tesla for this, but.... they really could do a better job of letting you know AP isn't on. The soft dings are too easy to ignore. If you attempt to enable AP but it doesn't take, it needs to make a much louder and more noticable indication that its not on.
 
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Whether AP was on or not, why didn't auto emergency braking kick in? Many people here tend to believe it won't stop the car but in numerous tests it does and should. The language in the manual saying it doesn't is more for liability issues - same with most other manufacturers.

 
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Whether AP was on or not, why didn't auto emergency braking kick in? Many people here tend to believe it won't stop the car but in numerous tests it does and should. The language in the manual saying it doesn't is more for liability issues - same with most other manufacturers.


AEB disengages/doesn't engage when the user gives significant input (Braking, Releasing Brakes, Accelerating, Turning the steering wheel sharply)

Since the closing speed wasn't that quick, ironically, the OP making the evasive maneuver probably countermanded all the safety features of the car that would have avoided the incident.

Also: I don't believe AEB is going to let an accident happen, when by braking as hard as it can, it can avoid it; just that AEB by design happens at the very last moment (or just after) so can't always avoid the accident. If it deploys, then it will ALWAYS mitigate the accident. It's not going to have the accident, just to teach you a lesson!
 
I'm not sure why the OP put himself out there but, Like aviation accidents, we can learn from him. Verify the TACC is active. Anyone who's been driving a Tesla with TACC engaged knows it simply will not drift in the way that the OP's did in the video. With NoA active it would not continue a lane change in such close proximity to the Prius. Though the OP may have though he engaged the a/P it clearly was not on.
 
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We all hopefully learn from others and OP started out by saying pretty much that. These discussions can be beneficial to newbies as well as owners who maybe aren't as familiar with the features of their car as they should be. I will say a number of times posts like this have gotten me to reread parts of the manual. They also sometimes bring up things you hadn't considered before. It would be nice to know the state of your features if Tesla will pass that on.

OP glad your accident wasn't worse and no one got injured. I think we all know that section of 101/85 by now so glad to see this video didn't involve the median. Checking email at that point in the roadway probably wasn't a good idea anyway. It does look like lane markings have been repainted and the barrier extended (although it looks like there might be some car part debris around it). The fact that watching the video you see the car gradually travel out of lane to the right, shows how much of a distraction reading email while driving can be. Seconds went by and you find yourself saying "veer left, veer left" watching it.
 
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You mean, "Checking email while driving is a terrible idea." Wouldn't matter if AP had been working perfectly.

No actually meant what I said. Of course checking email while driving isn't a good idea in any event but given that very busy highway intersection area and where the Model X driver died, if he was only on cruise control he could have just as easily veered left instead of right and hit the barrier too. We've driven on this same stretch often enough here in the bay area to know how fast cars traveling and how congested traffic can be at times. There seems to always be a car that is changing lanes at the last minute as they either wanted to stay on 101 or wanted to take 85 and if not paying attention try to make that move sometimes at the last few seconds. Just a bad area to not be paying full attention.
 
AP was probably not on but CC was.
If tacc was on it should have sensed the car and slowed down.
In the video the car maintained the speed while not keeping distance or keeping in the lane.
That has to be regular cruise control.

I thought every Model 3 got TACC if it has AutoPilot? I don't think you could just have CC unless it is one of the earlier one bought without AP.
 
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There are 2 rules for using Tesla AP.

1st rule if using AP: anytime turn on AP, always immediately confirm IT IS ON, by looking at the blue circle steering wheel.


2nd rule: don't forget rule 1




And, it’s evident that you didn’t follow rule #1.

From my experience, AP was NOT enabled in that video. Seems that you enabled cruise control , not AP.

I know this bc I’ve made this same mistake several times.

Luckily, I’ve noticed the car drifting and I immediately re attempt to enable AP.

After that, I created rule 1 and 2


Cheers
 
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The underlying issue I see here is trust. As we transition to autonomous driving how do we prevent drivers from putting too much trust in the technology? In this particular incident we all know it is ultimately the drivers fault but the reality is that he/she probably would not have looked away from the road as long as he/she did if he/she did not have this blind trust in the AP software. So, in the short term will AP prevent or potentially cause more accidents? Maybe the 8th camera above the rear view mirror can be used to see if the driver is looking at the road?
 
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I like you have driven on AP 1 for 90k plus miles and many on my second tesla with 2.5 AP. In the newer model X we had it drift in a very well marked lane. My wife and I both witnessed the X being in Auto Pilot before taking over. A few weeks later after a very long road trip we had an accident where the X drifted on to an abandoned truck over an overpass. Took 3 and a half months to get fixed. Still waiting to hear back if it was in AP or not.
P.s still haven't read the whole thread. Tired..
 
Have any of you Tesla drivers gained a better appreciation for the modern airliner and airline pilot? And the level training, skill and vigilance that goes into managing a three dimensional autopilot that can safely navigate complex procedures to climb, cruise, descend, approach and land at a high rate of speed, in all weather conditions, at the busiest airports and runways around the country (and world).

I hope that every one of these Tesla auto pilot accidents and deaths is a lesson for other owners/operator of the need for better training, vigilance and cross-check in order to properly manage vehicle automation. It's truly unfortunate the damage and loss of life that this simple two-dimensional autopilot system has been allowed to cause in such a short period of time.