Is Autopilot just a gimmick at the moment?

[ecarfan]

Autopilot Four Weeks In - Gimmick or Useful?

Mods, please merge with this existing thread about exactly the same topic Is Autopilot just a gimmick at the moment?

 

[StarkNaked]

Not a gimmick. On a recent trip to Wilmington (160miles), I noticed I was less fatigued at the end of the journey that I was when taking the same trip with our other car a few months prior. Even for local freeway jaunts, it's been a stress reliever. Only issue so far has been slightly lower efficiency numbers vs. not using AP or TACC.

 

[RAW84]

Personally, for most non-highway driving, it's a gimmick. Doesn't really aid me, sometimes I just do it because I can.

On the highway, it's quite useful. I wouldn't consider it a bunch at all.

 

[pox]

I agree, not only is it more centered it's an overall smoother ride most of the time. It wouldn't surprise me if it's more energy efficient as it doesn't swerve and correct as much as I do. Not that I'm swerving all over the place, it's just I'm always making small corrections to keep in the center of the lane.

AP does a much better job of keeping me centered in the lane than I do on my own. It is surely safer than the way I drive.
Also, it's superb in heavy traffic. It should eliminate the chance of me rear ending another car.

 

[roblab]

First of all, we are beta testers so we shouldn't expect it to be fully polished.

Secondly, I find at high speeds it allows me to be more observant of my surroundings and traffic far ahead because I don't really have to worry about hitting the car in front of me or leaving my lane.

Thirdly, in stop-and-go traffic it is very useful IMO, allowing me to zone out.

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

And to agree with a poster up a ways, it very much so lessens aggression. It used to aggravate me when the doob up front would vary his speed 10 mph if there was a curve, a hill, a bicycler over on the dirt, a piece of paper, etc. Now, I just let the car handle it. It is MUCH easier to let it go.

Some of us ADD people really need the TACC, and the Auto Steer will get better all the time.

 

[Discoducky]

Had my non-AP car in for some service and drove 2.7.77 for two days on AP and my experience was good, but not great. I even connected the car to my wifi just to ensure that it had another way to 'learn' if needed.

Great and perfect!

Stop and go traffic. Oh what a dream. Car cuts me off? Don't care. Hey, is that blonde looking at me? Err....Traffic moving faster in the other lane? Also, don't care. I'm busy relaxing in my heated seat and listening to the premium sound awesomeness of Miike Snow and The XX.

Good, but needs to get better

At highway speeds with bots dots (no lines, just those annoying round bumps and lane ruts from studded tires) and no target car (you know, the car ahead of you that you are following). I rarely got AP available on I90 into or out of Seattle

Curve speed adaptation is nice and seemed to slow me down a bit too much, but I get that it is conservative, I overrode it constantly on AP and with just TACC so let's hope it is 'learning'

Parallel parking worked and was awesome, but Seattle has a lot of diagonal head-out parking as well, which I'm fine doing myself, but this scene needs to be supported soon.

Not so good

Any road that is not a major highway at speed as there are hills, shadows and very random lane weirdness (sudden width changes, bad markings, construction, pedestrians...etc).

Looks like private property park and summons (autonomous) is gone from the website, wonder if that is truly gone?