After trying to use (Enhanced) Autopilot on a trip to and in Yosemite a week ago, I'm beginning to think it's only suitable as an urban limited access divided highway driver assist.
Several years ago just after getting my Model 3, I used it on a trip up (northbound) Hwy 1 along the coast (San Luis Obispo to Santa Cruz), and often enough it was riding on the center line on left bending turns that were near misses with oncoming southbound cars that weren't also hugging their rightward bending lines (understandable for those cars, since with steep dropoffs on that side often, who wants to be right at the edge of their lane. Now almost 3 years later I don't feel it's improved much, it still rides on/over the Cateyes on left bending turns, meaning it's violating oncoming traffic airspace if you count the midpoint of the double yellow as the border; an oncoming car with its mirror edge on the border would get clipped by my mirror on Autopilot. I'm guessing it's trying to center itself relative to the center of the lane some distance forward, trying the straightest line to get there, so it's being oblivious to the fact it's riding the center line already, despite the forward facing side cameras by which it should be able to interpolate it's riding the line.
This latest trip to Yosemite convinced me trying to use Autopilot on anything other than a limited access divided highway may be suicide, or at least just begging to get into an accident. In addition to the center line riding that I previously experienced, I discovered that especially with the sun low to the horizon (morning and evening - not even just right at sunrise/sunset- like 10am or 5pm, 2-3 hours from dusk/dawn), coming around a curve from behind trees or the shadow of a mountain the sudden direct sun leaves the Autopilot blinded, and you get the alert and about 0.5 sec to course correct. Despite being tired at times, I found that just driving with Autopilot off was more reliable and less anxiety inducing than have it continually kick off with nearly no reaction time. Even pretty close to noon a few times there were a few incidents of temporary blindness; I only have enhanced autopilot, and all these things make me glad I didn't pay out for FSD, if autopilot is any indication of the car's systems ability to deal with less than perfect visual conditions.
Several years ago just after getting my Model 3, I used it on a trip up (northbound) Hwy 1 along the coast (San Luis Obispo to Santa Cruz), and often enough it was riding on the center line on left bending turns that were near misses with oncoming southbound cars that weren't also hugging their rightward bending lines (understandable for those cars, since with steep dropoffs on that side often, who wants to be right at the edge of their lane. Now almost 3 years later I don't feel it's improved much, it still rides on/over the Cateyes on left bending turns, meaning it's violating oncoming traffic airspace if you count the midpoint of the double yellow as the border; an oncoming car with its mirror edge on the border would get clipped by my mirror on Autopilot. I'm guessing it's trying to center itself relative to the center of the lane some distance forward, trying the straightest line to get there, so it's being oblivious to the fact it's riding the center line already, despite the forward facing side cameras by which it should be able to interpolate it's riding the line.
This latest trip to Yosemite convinced me trying to use Autopilot on anything other than a limited access divided highway may be suicide, or at least just begging to get into an accident. In addition to the center line riding that I previously experienced, I discovered that especially with the sun low to the horizon (morning and evening - not even just right at sunrise/sunset- like 10am or 5pm, 2-3 hours from dusk/dawn), coming around a curve from behind trees or the shadow of a mountain the sudden direct sun leaves the Autopilot blinded, and you get the alert and about 0.5 sec to course correct. Despite being tired at times, I found that just driving with Autopilot off was more reliable and less anxiety inducing than have it continually kick off with nearly no reaction time. Even pretty close to noon a few times there were a few incidents of temporary blindness; I only have enhanced autopilot, and all these things make me glad I didn't pay out for FSD, if autopilot is any indication of the car's systems ability to deal with less than perfect visual conditions.
