Model 3 LR on First Road Trip With Autopilot

[kWh]

I got the chance to drive on a trip from Dallas, Tx to Conway, AR ( North of Little Rock, AR) in my wife’s M3 LR (2018.36.2.ac4a215) last weekend.

Some comments:

Autopilot: My first opportunity to use the autopilot on a trip. Generally, it worked well and lowered my workload while driving.

• I wanted to comment on an interesting phenomenon. Have you ever seen children sitting in a booster seat in a car that offers a toy steering wheel? Children can imagine they are steering the car when they are really following the car’s motion. That is the effect I noticed when driving the Model 3 on autopilot.
• The steering wheel has measured amount of “resistance” that has to be overcome before the driver takes control. Also, the car periodically asks the driver to apply gentle turning force on the wheel to demonstrate that he is still overseeing the system.
• The combination of these two factors can “train” the driver: I found that there is a tendency to apply the slight turning force when a turn is needed and, the car then moves by itself the desired direction. All is good until there is a situation when the auto pilot is stumped.
• I encountered a stretch of nighttime freeway where the right side of the road had a row of barrels demarcating the useable traffic lane (several miles long). The autopilot drifted a little too close to the barrels (no collision or near Collison, but a bit uncomfortable). I found myself applying a slight force to move the car to the left, but the car didn’t move. Apparently, this went on longer than my passenger liked, and she said move over. Then, I applied enough force to the wheel to end the autopilot session and all was well, but I did notice this odd effect. Afterwards, I decided that it might be best to practice disabling the autopilot with the brake (as with a classic cruise control) to avoid any unfamiliar control input situations.
• Anyone else ever notice this?

When changing lanes using the turn signal:

• The lever had to be held down until the car was fully in the desired lane or the car would go back into the original lane. This was no big deal, but, again, the passenger suffered a bit during the learning curve.

A couple of cool things during autopilot that I wasn’t expecting:

• The high/low beam selector worked automatically and quite well. This worked for oncoming cars as well as cars passing from behind.

• The windshield wipers changed speed as the rain changed intensity. Worked generally well, but there were some times when it seemed to clear the windshield slower than I would have liked during light rain/mist. Is there an adjustment for this? There is probably a software update in the works to fine tune this.

Enhanced cruse was quite useful during stop/go traffic.

Great charge rate at the Texarkana supercharger (484 miles/hr., at one point). The 310 miles of rated range really made a difference on a trip that was about 360 miles in each direction. I only charged at the midpoint and there was never any thought of running low on charge.

 

[altroute]

For switching lanes, did you push the lever all the way down? When I pushed the lever all the way, it would switch the lanes, and then automatically turn off the turn signal as well. The turn sinal lever has two levels, where a light push turns on the signal for just three blinks, and harder push will leave the turn signal on.

If you did push the lever all the way, it may be a bug.

 

[LargeHamCollider]

The standard way to turn autopilot off in the Model 3 is to tap the gear selector stalk up once. The opposite of activating tacc.

Also I enjoyed the write-up, thanks for sharing!

 

[swaltner]

From the Model 3 Owner's Manual (page 67 of the Jul 13 revision):

Do not use Autosteer on city streets, in construction zones, or in areas where bicyclists or pedestrians may be present.​

While I use TACC in construction zones I rarely will let it autosteer. This is one of the situations the system is known to currently not handle well and it's use should be avoided.

 

[kWh]

Good point- I may not have been pressing the lever all the way down. I’ll have to check this

For switching lanes, did you push the lever all the way down? When I pushed the lever all the way, it would switch the lanes, and then automatically turn off the turn signal as well. The turn sinal lever has two levels, where a light push turns on the signal for just three blinks, and harder push will leave the turn signal on.

If you did push the lever all the way, it may be a bug.

 

[kWh]

The standard way to turn autopilot off in the Model 3 is to tap the gear selector stalk up once. The opposite of activating tacc.

Also I enjoyed the write-up, thanks for sharing!

I didn’t realize that reversing the lever action would turn it off and will keep this in mind. Is tapping the brake not recommended as an alternative?

 

[swaltner]

@kWh, either method works fine to disable TACC. One benefit of using the gear shift is that you can keep the car from immediately going into full regen by lightly pressing on the throttle pedal as/before you push the gear selector up. It's just a personal preference though.

 

[Electroman]

encountered a stretch of nighttime freeway where the right side of the road had a row of barrels demarcating the useable traffic lane

In my over 30k+ miles of driving in Autopilot (between my S and 3), I would never use it on construction areas where the lanes are crooked, or not clear or has cones/barrels close. Obviously AP would have trouble seeing where the lane edges are and would drift dangerously close to one side.

There are only a few situations, which are quite basic and just common sense, that you should avoid using AP. if you follow that simple rule you will enjoy it immensely.

On the lane change, push the stalk down fully till it locks. It will change lanes and switch off the turn signal too.

 

[drawfour]

I didn’t realize that reversing the lever action would turn it off and will keep this in mind. Is tapping the brake not recommended as an alternative?

Tapping the brake will end up turning your regen on immediately. If you wanted to slow down anyway, then it's fine. Otherwise, you get a bit of a jerky thing as you slow down and then quickly push on the accelerator to get going again. So I prefer stock up if I'm trying a smooth transition.

 

[ratsbew]

I personally disconnect autopilot by applying steering wheel torque because this keeps the cruise control set. If you do it with a firm grip it is very smooth.

 

[drawfour]

I personally disconnect autopilot by applying steering wheel torque because this keeps the cruise control set. If you do it with a firm grip it is very smooth.

If you push up lightly on the drive stalk, I think it disengages just AutoSteer, leaving TACC on. If you push up hard, then it disengages both. I could be wrong, but I think that's what I've found...

 

[swaltner]

@drawfour, that’s not how it behaves on my Model 3. The first detent up on the gear selector stalk turns off both autosteer and TACC. This is also how the owner’s manual describes the disengagement process.

Currently, if you want to use the gear stalk to disengage autosteer, but not TACC, you could push the gear selector up and then immediately back down. This will disengage both, and then engage TACC again. Be aware that if your cruise speed is set below the current speed, the car could start accelerating because you’re really activating TACC from scratch with this maneuver. I rarely do this, but have found I can do it quick enough that the speed barely changes while TACC is momentarily turned off.

 

[ewoodrick]

I wanted to comment on an interesting phenomenon. Have you ever seen children sitting in a booster seat in a car that offers a toy steering wheel? Children can imagine they are steering the car when they are really following the car’s motion. That is the effect I noticed when driving the Model 3 on autopilot.

What a bad thing to teach kids, when it is becoming very possible that they never get a drivers license.

 

[ceekz]

I am that passenger!

 

[drawfour]

@drawfour, that’s not how it behaves on my Model 3. The first detent up on the gear selector stalk turns off both autosteer and TACC. This is also how the owner’s manual describes the disengagement process.

You're correct. I tried it out on the way home from work to make sure. But you can always push up and then back down to re-engage TACC. If you do it fast enough, I don't think you'll even start to slow down, since I think you get half a second or so after disengaging TACC via the stalk before regen kicks in.

 

[Geo77]

i have noticed with 36.2, Autopilot can get uncomfortably close to the outer lane, regardless if there are cones or anything set up. I have used it every day going home from work, and there was some definite change to EAP in that regards...still stays inside the lane...but makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

 

[ecarfan]

When changing lanes using the turn signal:

• The lever had to be held down until the car was fully in the desired lane or the car would go back into the original lane.

When you are ready to initiate an Auto Lane Change, fully press the turn signal stalk so it stays on. When the lane change is complete, turn off the turn signal.

You don’t need to hold the turn signal lever.

And don’t worry about leaving the turn signal on too long thinking the car might then make another lane change. It will only change one lane and then stay in the new lane even if you leave the turn signal on.

 

[narayan]

Has anyone experienced another car drift into your lane when you are almost abreast it? How would the car react? Does it make a difference if you are in autosteer mode or not? I had an SUV try to merge into my lane today when I was half way abreast and I took control (it was in autosteer mode). The car didn't react in any way, possibly because I saw it happen and immediately took evasive action. Not sure what it would have done if I did nothing. Would it give the collision warning beep and flashing red vehicle alert? Would it brake? If fully abreast it could either brake or accelerate or switch lane. Currently, I don't believe it would try to change lane if the next lane was free (maybe a future enhancement?).

 

[drawfour]

When you are ready to initiate an Auto Lane Change, fully press the turn signal stalk so it stays on. When the lane change is complete, turn off the turn signal.

You don’t need to hold the turn signal lever.

And don’t worry about leaving the turn signal on too long thinking the car might then make another lane change. It will only change one lane and then stay in the new lane even if you leave the turn signal on.

When it completes the lane change, it will turn the signal off for you.