Questions about future AutoPilot features

[kirkbauer]

Perhaps you guys don't know any more than I do about this since it isn't out yet, but I had a few questions about this:

1. Can the AutoPilot avoid other drivers who might try to change lanes into you (or, perhaps equally important, be smart enough to stay out of other cars' blind spots?)
2. Can the AutoPilot detect and avoid debris in the road or potholes?

I feel like I'd need both of these before I'd really be comfortable letting it drive.

I also had a question about the "pick you up in the morning at your front door on private property" feature. How would it unplug itself from the charger in this scenario?

 

[Saghost]

Perhaps you guys don't know any more than I do about this since it isn't out yet, but I had a few questions about this:

1. Can the AutoPilot avoid other drivers who might try to change lanes into you (or, perhaps equally important, be smart enough to stay out of other cars' blind spots?)
2. Can the AutoPilot detect and avoid debris in the road or potholes?

I feel like I'd need both of these before I'd really be comfortable letting it drive.

I also had a question about the "pick you up in the morning at your front door on private property" feature. How would it unplug itself from the charger in this scenario?

Avoiding other cars will always depend greatly on the circumstances. The car will see them coming before you can, just need programming to avoid them (slam on brakes? swerve from lane?)

I'm really curious about the road debris and potholes myself. They'll show up on the camera and probably on radar - but I haven't read anything about programming to address them so far. I know Mercedes is looking for potholes with a stereo camera set for their fancy magic carpet suspension - but so far we only have one front camera.

 

[Dborn]

I guess you will get more accurate information regarding capability from the Mobileye website...

 

[martinwinlow]

Hmmm, I think seeing debris is going to be a bit of an ask given that adaptive cruise control can't yet a/ see that a junction is coming up and slow down for it automatically, b/ when a car is overtaking you and you want to overtake the vehicle ahead of you but you are waiting for the adjacent lane to clear but the MS can't figure out that the car next to you is going 20 mph faster than you and insists on braking so that the 'following gap' is strictly maintained. This, IMO, is downright dangerous. I probably haven't explained that very well. I want the AP to realise that although the car in the adjacent lane is closer than the 'following gap' setting, because it is traveling much faster and is already a 'reasonable distance' ahead of you (but still much less than the 'following gap' setting) that it is OK to move into the adjacent lane because a collision is very unlikely - sort of anticipating things - and thus not have to brake at all.

I think having a 'following gap' setting that is relative to speed and not just an arbitrary 'x number of car lenghts' would work much better, too, and would be very easy to implement.

I'd also like to see changes in speed due to AP influence happen much more smoothly - both acceleration and deceleration. Having downloaded the lated firmware update yesterday (but not tried it out) perhaps one or more of these issues has already been addressed...?

It would be nice if Tesla would lead the pack with an infrared-based comms system to allow 'trains' of cars, the leader of which passes information on down the chain to allow safe, relatively short following gaps... Maybe the LED rear lights could be programmed to do the signalling without need for additional hardware? Still need a sensor on the front though. MW

 

[Lump]

Debris detection & more of what Mobileye is capable of...