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Model S driver filmed sleeping in traffic!! Calling All Forum Safety Nannies!!

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To return to the topic at hand, as long as the technology and laws do not permit it, I would say that a driver with closed eyes would be a dangerous situation. Maybe one could pull up ahead of the car (to reduce the risk of collision), and then honk to alert the driver to the danger they pose to themselves and others? And then, if there is no reaction, make the call?

Some have suggested that if you see this situation you could use your car to guide the autopilot to a stop, since the TACC would slow it down as it followed you.

I've also noticed with slow/stop and go traffic, AP will often lose the lane markings (blue or grey) and rely on the car in front. If the lead car changes lanes slowly enough (so AP doesn't pick up speed to see the lines) the Tesla will follow the lead car into the next lane. Mine almost did a few times in heavy traffic.

This maybe a useful way to guide the Tesla AP to the side of the road.
 
Some have suggested that if you see this situation you could use your car to guide the autopilot to a stop, since the TACC would slow it down as it followed you.

I've also noticed with slow/stop and go traffic, AP will often lose the lane markings (blue or grey) and rely on the car in front. If the lead car changes lanes slowly enough (so AP doesn't pick up speed to see the lines) the Tesla will follow the lead car into the next lane. Mine almost did a few times in heavy traffic.

This maybe a useful way to guide the Tesla AP to the side of the road.

Novel ideas there GoTslaGo and lklundin, worth considering if I ever find myself in those circumstances. Hopefully they are just feigning sleep and aren't actually incapacitated, but it will take much more than a 22 second recording to substantiate the OPs claim. I would say 5 to 10 minutes, then this becomes a real concern for nearby drivers or pedestrians and such recommended action may be in order.
 
I recalled there was a whole thread about sleeping with autopilot. So I looked it up and found it.

Fell asleep using Autopilot - admission from a Model S owner

Actually some interesting discussions in that thread about folks with medical episodes while on Autopilot. And possibly what to do.

I recall when AP came out people mentioned the car would slow down and move itself to the side of the road if the required driver input (hands on steering wheel) did not occur despite multiple requests. Was that ever programmed/established I wonder?

It does, but not the "move itself to the side of the road". Just slow down, hazard, and eventually stops.

 
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Lexus LS has an optional Driver Attention Monitor system with closed-eye detection. Sounds like a good idea for Model S with Autopilot; this way, the system will know the driver is attentive at all times, even without registering any steering wheel or pedal input.
 
I've also noticed with slow/stop and go traffic, AP will often lose the lane markings (blue or grey) and rely on the car in front.

Autopilot is intentionally designed this way. At speeds of 18 MPH or below, autopilot will always use the car in front instead of the lane lines for guidance. Due to the short following distance at low speeds, not enough of the lane lines are visible to the camera to guide the car.

Always be aware of the autopilot display and keep an eye on the blue object (lane lines or car in front), as that is what is being used to guide the car. And yes, if autopilot is using the car in front as guidance and that car changes lanes, watch closely for two things:

1. Your car may follow the car in front and change lanes as well. Be ready to turn the wheel to stay in your own lane if you don't want to follow the other car.
2. If there is a 2nd car in front of the one that just changed lanes, TACC may not pick it up immediately and your car may accelerate. If the 2nd car is stopped, TACC may not pick it up at all. Be ready to brake and slow the vehicle, and do not wait for TACC to do it for you if there is any doubt.
 
Now who's the self-appointed stauncher of forum hemorrhaging?

Funny how often "obvious" is a synonym for "point I actually disagree with but want to undercut by claiming it doesn't even need to be made".

Fair enough on the self-appointed hypocrisy point. However saying something is obvious does not mean I disagree with it. I agree we should all remain alert while driving.

... but it will take much more than a 22 second recording to substantiate the OPs claim.

For the record I'm just reposting a video from an Eletrek blog post. I should have put "appears to be sleeping" in the post title.
 
I hope for our sake that all the people that are doing stupid and dangerous things while using AP doesn't end up meaning we all lose our AP features at some point or dumb down AP essentially making it adaptive cruise control like other cars.
So far it looks like the accidents have been user error this is solely going off of what Tesla Logs have shown there may be things we don't know about the accidents but relying on the information Tesla said it seems user error but there are always 2 sides.
 
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The obvious way to figure out if someone is incapacitated is to have telematics built in to the car like Onstar or Mercedes' Teleaid. If the autopilot beep beep doesn't generate a response, an operator could come on the line and attempt to speak with the driver. If there is still no response the car pulls to the side of the road and emergency responders are dispatched to the scene.
 
You are correct that the terms "nanny police" etc. are a kind of ribbing. I would disagree that they fall all the way to schoolyard name calling.

That's how they seem TO YOU, because you know you are a nice guy, and mean well. That isn't they way they seem to other people.

The "self appointed forum police" term purposely critiques the behavior of folks...

In fact, they sound like this. Like you are some self-appointed forum police who critiques the behavior of other folks.

Thank you kindly.
 
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For the record I'm just reposting a video from an Eletrek blog post. I should have put "appears to be sleeping" in the post title.

Agreed, that would be more accurate.

I do appreciate you sharing that video, as it brings to light an important topic of discussion, but full autonomous driving is still at least a few years away, and i expect that the hardware required will also take one or two generations of development before we move from Level 2 to Level 4 driving ability in cars with the newer technology.
 
Autopilot is intentionally designed this way. At speeds of 18 MPH or below, autopilot will always use the car in front instead of the lane lines for guidance. Due to the short following distance at low speeds, not enough of the lane lines are visible to the camera to guide the car.

Always be aware of the autopilot display and keep an eye on the blue object (lane lines or car in front), as that is what is being used to guide the car. And yes, if autopilot is using the car in front as guidance and that car changes lanes, watch closely for two things:

1. Your car may follow the car in front and change lanes as well. Be ready to turn the wheel to stay in your own lane if you don't want to follow the other car.
2. If there is a 2nd car in front of the one that just changed lanes, TACC may not pick it up immediately and your car may accelerate. If the 2nd car is stopped, TACC may not pick it up at all. Be ready to brake and slow the vehicle, and do not wait for TACC to do it for you if there is any doubt.

I have personally had both of these happen, and yes, one must remain hyper-vigilant in such circumstances. Thanks for taking the time to post this so clearly.