Manual lane change process? Basic AP in autosteer

[silentride]

Hi everybody,
I'm ready to purchase a SR+ but struggling on the decision to purchase FSD vs only basic AP.

What is the process for manually changing lanes with basic AP when autosteer and TACC are enabled? Can you use the turn signal to indicate an intent to change lanes, then manually change lanes without dropping autosteer? Or, do you have to cancel autosteer, signal, then change lanes before reengaging autosteer? The manual posted on Tesla's website doesn't seem to clarify the process.

With traditional lane keep assist, all you have to do is engage the turn signal so that lane keep is temporarily disabled during the lane change. My concern is really about annoying my passengers with constant beeps coming from AP as I'm swapping lanes on a crowded highway.

Thanks
Jeramie

 

[TomB985]

The process is much simpler than that. With regular autopilot engaged, you simply activate the turn signal for the lane you are trying to change into, and the car will make it happen. It uses sensors to ensure the car has clearance to move over, then the system gently steers you over into the new Lane. FSD not required.

The big difference with FSD and navigate on autopilot is that it will identify a faster lane and make the change all on its own. It will also move the appropriate lane to take exit ramps in this mode, but simple lane changes on command are standard with regular autopilot.

 

[Common_Loon]

Hi everybody,
I'm ready to purchase a SR+ but struggling on the decision to purchase FSD vs only basic AP.

What is the process for manually changing lanes with basic AP when autosteer and TACC are enabled? Can you use the turn signal to indicate an intent to change lanes, then manually change lanes without dropping autosteer? Or, do you have to cancel autosteer, signal, then change lanes before reengaging autosteer? The manual posted on Tesla's website doesn't seem to clarify the process.

With traditional lane keep assist, all you have to do is engage the turn signal so that lane keep is temporarily disabled during the lane change. My concern is really about annoying my passengers with constant beeps coming from AP as I'm swapping lanes on a crowded highway.

Thanks
Jeramie

Ignore Tom's response above, he doesn't seem to realize that basic non-enhanced Autopilot is different.

The easiest way to do it is to tap the brakes to disengage both auto-steer and TACC, change lane, then double tap down to re-engage both. The alternative is to break auto-steer by turning the wheel (which can result in a bit of a swerve - that's why I use the brake to disengage), which leaves TACC on. Then change lane, then re-engage AP.

It's kind of a pain, so I've taken to simply picking a lane I'll be happy with and staying in it.

 

[ecarfan]

The process is much simpler than that. With regular autopilot engaged, you simply activate the turn signal for the lane you are trying to change into, and the car will make it happen.

Are you sure about that? Recently Tesla dropped the EAP option and changed what comes standard on every car to include TACC and Auto Steer only, everything else is part of the FSDC option.

Here is what the Tesla website states Auto Pilot does on every car:

Autopilot Included

• Enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane.

Note the “within its lane” part. Meaning the car will “steer within its lane”. I see nothing there about the standard Auto Pilot doing lane changes.

Do you have a Model 3/S/X delivered in the past week or two? If you have an older car it will not match the Auto Pilot features of the cars currently being delivered.

 

[silentride]

The process is much simpler than that. With regular autopilot engaged, you simply activate the turn signal for the lane you are trying to change into, and the car will make it happen. It uses sensors to ensure the car has clearance to move over, then the system gently steers you over into the new Lane. FSD not required.

The big difference with FSD and navigate on autopilot is that it will identify a faster lane and make the change all on its own. It will also move the appropriate lane to take exit ramps in this mode, but simple lane changes on command are standard with regular autopilot.

Thanks for the insight. I must have misunderstood a couple of terms. Is this an accurate statement?

- FSD or EAP provide Auto Lane Change which identifies the fastest lane when on NOA to change lanes when appropriate.
- Basic AP retains lane change but is executed only after a driver signals with the stalk.

 

[tinsla]

"The process is much simpler than that. With regular autopilot engaged, you simply activate the turn signal for the lane you are trying to change into, and the car will make it happen."
This is totally incorrect, without FSD, you need to make the lane change manually, once you take control of the steering and apply light torque to start the lane change, Autosteer gets disabled, once you complete the lane change, you will need to engage Autosteer again.
There will be multiple beeps in this process as you said silentride.

 

[ecarfan]

The easiest way to do it is to tap the brakes to disengage both auto-steer and TACC, change lane, then double tap down to re-engage both. The alternative is to break auto-steer by turning the wheel (which can result in a bit of a swerve - that's why I use the brake to disengage), which leaves TACC on. Then change lane, then re-engage AP.

An alternative approach is, with Auto Steer engaged, flick the gear selector stalk up to disengage it, signal and change lanes manually, than re-engage AP with a double flick down on the stalk.

No need to tap the brake pedal or turn the steering wheel enough to disengage AP.

Both my Teslas have EAP so I do not have direct experience with the new version of standard AP, but I think the method I describe above should work. If it doesn’t, please let me know.

 

[355rockit]

Even simpler still... when you turn on turn signals, you can easily change lanes without the steering wheel being forced to disengage. If you do not turn on turn signals, it takes a bit more force to disengage AP to change lanes. Simple AP just keeps you in your lane only and TACC maintains speed and following distance only.

 

[ecarfan]

Even simpler still... when you turn on turn signals, you can easily change lanes without the steering wheel being forced to disengage. If you do not turn on turn signals, it takes a bit more force to disengage AP to change lanes

With the new AP, when Auto Steer is engaged, you can turn the steering wheel enough change lanes without causing it to disengage?

That surprises me. As I said, I have no direct experience with the new version of AP, but in every AP Tesla I’ve driven and/or owned in the past 5+ years I have never been able to do what you describe.

I’m interested in more detail about the scenario you describe. In the current version of AP (not FSDC), with AP engaged so that the car is maintaining position in the lane, you activate the turn signal, turn the wheel to change into an adjacent lane, and then you can let go of the steering wheel and the car will maintain position in the lane you just changed into?

 

[tinsla]

With AP only (No FSD or EAP) there is no way to make a lane change without disengaging Autosteer. TACC stays engaged though. Once you are done with the lane change you have to manually engage Autosteer.

 

[golfpilot]

I have EAP but occasionally need to get into a lane where the other cars are going too fast for autopilot to be willing to make the change (commute hours from regular lane to carpool) When I am in autopilot and decide I want to manually make a lane change, I disengage via turning the wheel. A chirp goes off but I do it this way because adaptive cruise control stays active. With time you will learn exactly how much pressure is needed to disengage autopilot to avoid jerks.

 

[Luudcrs]

Even simpler still... when you turn on turn signals, you can easily change lanes without the steering wheel being forced to disengage. If you do not turn on turn signals, it takes a bit more force to disengage AP to change lanes. Simple AP just keeps you in your lane only and TACC maintains speed and following distance only.

This is exactly what I do. Making a turn signal cancels the autosteer but keeps TACC, then make your lane change and re-engage AP. What I haven't gotten used to is that it actually SLOWS down during the lane change and then gets back to speed, contrary to lane change instincts.

With the new AP, when Auto Steer is engaged, you can turn the steering wheel enough change lanes without causing it to disengage?

No, impossible. Once you force the wheel enough to drift across lane markings, autosteer will automatically disengage.

 

[ecarfan]

This is exactly what I do. Making a turn signal cancels the autosteer but keeps TACC, then make your lane change and re-engage AP. What I haven't gotten used to is that it actually SLOWS down during the lane change and then gets back to speed, contrary to lane change instincts.

Okay, now I understand. When AP is engaged, activating the turn signal cancels AP, you manually turn the wheel to change lanes, then re-engage AP.

And TACC stays on, but you say the car slows during the lane change. Are you sure TACC stays on?

 

[sreams]

Okay, now I understand. When AP is engaged, activating the turn signal cancels AP, you manually turn the wheel to change lanes, then re-engage AP.

And TACC stays on, but you say the car slows during the lane change. Are you sure TACC stays on?

To clarify previous posts... when you turn on your turn signal, it is easier to turn the steering wheel (less force to overcome) to take over steering and change lanes. Doing so will disengage autosteer but keep TACC on. TACC will not slow for the lane change unless it detects something to slow down for. Re-engage full AP after the lane change is complete.

I do the above on a daily basis and find it to be the easiest.

 

[newtonfb]

Tom wasn't completely wrong above. AP1 with basic AP does lane change with the blinker. AP2-3 you need EAP or FSD for that feature....it's actually crazy when you think a car in 2014 can do it but in 2019 they make you pay for FSD just for lane change. The argument is AP should have manual lane change(blinker) but FSD should have automatic lane change. The new method is very tedious when you are changing lanes... Disengage and renegage AP just to pass someone.

 

[evster]

When I got the standard AP I thought that user activated auto-lane-change still was part of the AP-package.

It is very annoying to disengage for every lane change. Not just the process itself, but also the sound that can't be disabled when deactivating and activating AutoSteer.

At this point I don't care for the FSD features because I like to drive in general, but on longer commutes I really miss the auto lane change feature for convenience and less irritations with the ding ding sounds.

It was also marketed false in my opinion, because initially Tesla left out that Auto lane change was part of the FSD package. The specific text was added later on. Really annoying.

Hope Tesla at some point will add the auto lane change to normal AP. Or make it possible to toggle the sound on/off in an option. Because the sound buggs me to hear that each time I change lane

 

[Mr Vader]

An alternative approach is, with Auto Steer engaged, flick the gear selector stalk up to disengage it, signal and change lanes manually, than re-engage AP with a double flick down on the stalk.

No need to tap the brake pedal or turn the steering wheel enough to disengage AP.

Both my Teslas have EAP so I do not have direct experience with the new version of standard AP, but I think the method I describe above should work. If it doesn’t, please let me know.

I can confirm that flicking the stalk up once disengages AP but not TACC, so no need to touch break nor accelerator for that matter. double lick down and AP re-engages.

my M3 doesn't have EAP and I find this method to be the most "fluent" and less jerky option.

 

[momo3605]

The easiest approach is

1. Put turn signal on (auto-steer disengages, TACC stays on)
2. Change lanes
3. re-enable auto-steer

But as evster noted, the most annoying thing is the chime for autosteer every time you turn it off and on. Really annoys me and passengers.

 

[mswlogo]

Ignore Tom's response above, he doesn't seem to realize that basic non-enhanced Autopilot is different.

The easiest way to do it is to tap the brakes to disengage both auto-steer and TACC, change lane, then double tap down to re-engage both. The alternative is to break auto-steer by turning the wheel (which can result in a bit of a swerve - that's why I use the brake to disengage), which leaves TACC on. Then change lane, then re-engage AP.

It's kind of a pain, so I've taken to simply picking a lane I'll be happy with and staying in it.

You can't always stay in your "favorite" lane.

I would use a flick up on the stalk to cancel AutoSteer/TACC instead of hitting the brake to change lanes so you don't flash your brake lights.
And it also won't momentary give you an unwanted burst of regen hitting the brakes.
Just keep your foot on the Accelerator and a flick up on stalk, you can even slightly speed up and over take TACC before you cancel.
Then double click down when your done. I do that now and then even with EAP/FSD.

To bad you can't just cancel Auto Steer and leave TACC on (smoothly).

 

[mswlogo]

The easiest approach is

1. Put turn signal on (auto-steer disengages, TACC stays on)
2. Change lanes
3. re-enable auto-steer

But as evster noted, the most annoying thing is the chime for autosteer every time you turn it off and on. Really annoys me and passengers.

Even better, if that works.
But my reply is still useful for folks with EAP/FSD because sometimes I want to manage the lane change.