More first impressions . . . .

[Artiste]

I picked up my M3P at West Drayton yesterday and had a 220 mile drive home to evaluate it. First impressions were pretty much as I expected - the performance is amazing and the tech is (mostly) impressive. Against that I've lost a considerable amount of comfort and refinement - above 60mph wind noise and tyre noise is very noticeable.

There are, though, four things in particular that disappoint me:
TACC - it's quite jerky and I experienced phantom braking on many occasions, needing me to intervene by accelerating.
Autopilot - I keep my hands rested firmly on the wheel, but it keeps asking me to apply steering pressure. Apply a bit too much and it turns off. And the fact that it turns off when you change lanes makes it all but useless on a busy motorway.
Driving status on the screen showing surrounding vehicles - it shows vehicles a good couple of hundred yards ahead but vehicles approaching from behind are not shown until they are almost level with my car, which makes it useless as a warning for cars in my blind spot when I want to over take.
Speed limit recognition - For years I've enjoyed traffic sign recognition that will automatically lower my speed when, for example, I enter a 50mph zone on a motorway, then speed up again when I exit. Same for gantry speed limits signs on smart motorways. I can't quite believe the M3 doesn't have this.

Presumably the hardware is all in place, so these improvements/omissions will hopefully be sorted in future software updates. Tesla describes much of the software as "beta" and it most certainly is, though not perhaps in the way they understand it.

 

[davidmc]

Autopilot - I keep my hands rested firmly on the wheel, but it keeps asking me to apply steering pressure.

- from 9mins 54sec to 10min 11secs

Note - I do not condone this approach, just mearly passing on a warning that is dangourous and you should always be alert!

 

[pdk42]

Interesting post. From my two test drives, I recognise most of these - the only concern is your comments on noise above 60mph. Refinement is important for me so if it's really that bad maybe I need to reconsider

 

[NorfolkMustard]

Autopilot. It takes a change in driving habits. Holding the wheel 10-to-2 on a straight road isn’t going to work. It judges the driver’s influence by torque on the wheel

if you still want both hands on the wheel, give your dominant hand preference rather than equal-and-opposite torque on both hands

 

[WannabeOwner]

Autopilot - I keep my hands rested firmly on the wheel, but it keeps asking me to apply steering pressure

I recommend one hand, at 4 O'Clock or 8 O'Clock, so that you are applying rotational pressure (more difficult to do with two hands).

If that doesn't work then it may well be that the sensor needs configuration/replacing.

makes it useless as a warning for cars in my blind spot when I want to over take.

I thought model-3 had some sort of blind-spot warning? (Sorry can't remember the details, and I may be mistaken)

Speed limit recognition

Tesla have not had this since AP1 (so best part of 3 year ago). Its a surprise to me, but there has been some talk it is because MobileEye hold a patent on the technology. Agree it should be a priority for software upgrade.

the only concern is your comments on noise above 60mph. Refinement is important for me so if it's really that bad maybe I need to reconsider

Model-3 is significantly more noisy than my Model-S, sill much quieter than ICE that I have driven of late (I don't have a Rolls Royce where all you can hear is the ticking of the clock!)

Bjorn did some videos about fitting extra rubber in the roof panel-gaps (of Model 3), and I've also seen ones with a second, outer, set of rubber seals around doors etc which dramatically improve noise - but might trap water/dirt? Whether you want to go to that bother is a choice of course ... Model-S is definitely quieter, if that is an option for you.

iPace is quieter than Model-S ... and ECQ is very quiet (can't even hear the "Turbine whine" of the motors spinning up, which I rather like ...)

Range, 3rd party Charging, old fashioned instrument <Strewth!> ... choices though.

 

[Durzel]

Autopilot - I keep my hands rested firmly on the wheel, but it keeps asking me to apply steering pressure. Apply a bit too much and it turns off. And the fact that it turns off when you change lanes makes it all but useless on a busy motorway.

I'm guessing you don't have FSD?

 

[LukeT]

I'm another one whose hand is a bit light on the wheel. And for me not all positions are comfortable over long distance. An arm rest would be nice...

I do have fsd but still think the lane changes aren't quick enough for normal UK traffic. Fine on fairly empty motorway though. Hoping they'll speed them up.

 

[Artiste]

I'm guessing you don't have FSD?

I don’t - £5800 seemed a bit steep for very little added functionality.

 

[ME_UK]

I picked up my M3P at West Drayton yesterday and had a 220 mile drive home to evaluate it. First impressions were pretty much as I expected - the performance is amazing and the tech is (mostly) impressive. Against that I've lost a considerable amount of comfort and refinement - above 60mph wind noise and tyre noise is very noticeable.

There are, though, four things in particular that disappoint me:
TACC - it's quite jerky and I experienced phantom braking on many occasions, needing me to intervene by accelerating.
Autopilot - I keep my hands rested firmly on the wheel, but it keeps asking me to apply steering pressure. Apply a bit too much and it turns off. And the fact that it turns off when you change lanes makes it all but useless on a busy motorway.
Driving status on the screen showing surrounding vehicles - it shows vehicles a good couple of hundred yards ahead but vehicles approaching from behind are not shown until they are almost level with my car, which makes it useless as a warning for cars in my blind spot when I want to over take.
Speed limit recognition - For years I've enjoyed traffic sign recognition that will automatically lower my speed when, for example, I enter a 50mph zone on a motorway, then speed up again when I exit. Same for gantry speed limits signs on smart motorways. I can't quite believe the M3 doesn't have this.

Presumably the hardware is all in place, so these improvements/omissions will hopefully be sorted in future software updates. Tesla describes much of the software as "beta" and it most certainly is, though not perhaps in the way they understand it.

Getting mine next week, but from what I remember from the test drive, following lane change you 'double tap' the right hand lever downwards and Autopilot resumed pace - is that not the case?

 

[WannabeOwner]

following lane change you 'double tap' the right hand lever downwards and Autopilot resumed pace

Correct. You get a bing-bong each time you override (and resume) which can be irritating for e.g. sleeping passengers (although Joe Mode [is that "shipped" yet?] will allow turning that volume down).

 

[ME_UK]

Correct. You get a bing-bong each time you override (and resume) which can be irritating for e.g. sleeping passengers (although Joe Mode [is that "shipped" yet?] will allow turning that volume down).

Looking forward to that - hoping it can be the 'default'. Just to confirm with other owners, the GPS system has the speed limits, but right now the variable speed limit signs are the issue for motorways? Hoping they have variable limits in the US, or Elon feels generous enough to share FSD sign recognition to Autopilot owners.....

 

[phillcom3]

I don’t - £5800 seemed a bit steep for very little added functionality.

my thoughts too and for something you'd use maybe 1 % of the time. I got stung with that with the xtrail techna spec I got for the self park. iv used it 4 times.
if they want more to take it they need to lower the price of software simple... you are already paying it with he inflated cost of the car so why make it that much of a shock...?

 

[RamsfanJim]

Interesting post. From my two test drives, I recognise most of these - the only concern is your comments on noise above 60mph. Refinement is important for me so if it's really that bad maybe I need to reconsider

I haven't noticed any issues with road noise - at any speed (obviously I never go over 70 ). But then I do usually have the stereo on...

 

[WannabeOwner]

the GPS system has the speed limits, but right now the variable speed limit signs are the issue for motorways?

The GPS speed sign locations aren't reliably accurate ... but that said the speed sign recognition in AP1 is "at the sign" so you sail into a 30 MPH at 60 before the car begins to start slowing down ... but, yes, the current speed limit is shown on dashboard (and you can set limit/warning if you want). It aint perfect ... yet.

Gantry and temporary roadworks etc. aren't read ... but there again AP1 slows down for the speed limit signs (which it can read) that are conditional - there is a 50 MPH sign I drive past which has a "In 1/2 a mile" bit underneath it and things like this catch it out

 

[JupiterMan]

Elon has said that FSD will be "feature complete" by the end of the year.

I would suggest that without speed sign recognition FSD is not feature complete... so maybe this will be updated soon.

 

[NorfolkMustard]

V10 is supposed to come with traffic light and stop sign recognition I think?

 

[JCremonini]

According to Page 94 of the owners manual it should read road signs. It implies it uses a mix of GPS and sign detection.

OP - what setting do you have for Speed Assist ? Might be that you have it turned off rather then set to DISPLAY

 

[Keeper]

I intend to have the music up loud! If I hear any loud wind noise then its probably coming from within the car.

 

[tess19]

V10 is supposed to come with traffic light and stop sign recognition I think?

Get ready for more phatom braking

 

[WannabeOwner]

If I hear any loud wind noise then its probably coming from within the car

You no longer have to do that yourself in a Tesla