Red beeping warning on interface, behind vehicle while driving forward?

[Dmagyar]

Weird occurrence yesterday, driving towards home on side street 25 mph or so, no one immediately behind me, suddenly passed a street, slightly uphill and got a Red beeping warning from behind. Almost like a sensor locked onto something. Anyone experienced anything like this?

 

[Gavyne]

False positives can happen occasionally

 

[Dmagyar]

False positives can happen occasionally

False positives of what? Was something going to run me over from behind as I’m driving away from whatever this was, that’s what I’m trying to understand.
Fine if it was a “joott”, I’ll be “safe” to ignore it in the future, but kind of dilutes the purpose of a warning, doesn’t it?

 

[Need]

Is it straight behind or one of the corners from behind? I have seen/hear the back corner one when I am making left turn on a 2-lanes left turn light. I think the car in the next lane behind was a bit too close. I don't think I have seen it straight behind yet.

Have you checked your rear sensors to see if any one of them got dirt over it or something? Those little round covers... I believe those are your sensors. You don't have paint protection film on them do you?

 

[Dmagyar]

Is it straight behind or one of the corners from behind? I have seen/hear the back corner one when I am making left turn on a 2-lanes left turn light. I think the car in the next lane behind was a bit too close. I don't think I have seen it straight behind yet.

Have you checked your rear sensors to see if any one of them got dirt over it or something? Those little round covers... I believe those are your sensors. You don't have paint protection film on them do you?

Checked sensors, clean. Reviewed the road and car was finished cornering and moving straight ahead on a fairly flat section of road, though where this occurred the intersecting street is uphill and the furthest right rear sensor would have been pointing into the pavement. It was almost like whatever caused the warning had turned (right) up that same street, if that makes sense. So that must have been what it was. thanks

 

[Twiglett]

the display usually tells you.
I could be a car coming the other way triggering the forward collision warning or the car in front slowing down unexpectedly

 

[Dmagyar]

the display usually tells you.
I could be a car coming the other way triggering the forward collision warning or the car in front slowing down unexpectedly

Except there wasn't any opposing traffic, in this specific case, just my car on a empty side street and whatever flashed Red, and beeped was to the rear of my car on the screen was gone in a flash.

 

[favo]

If there was a red arc shown on the display to the side of your car's avatar, that is the ultrasonics detecting something close. It could've been a parked car, trash can or animal by the side of the road.

 

[Dmagyar]

It was almost like a cop car behind me out of nowhere, red, beeping and behind the car, gone just as fast as it occured. None of your suggested possibilities were present.

 

[Kermee]

Low flying bird?

 

[favo]

I will guess the car detected a (parked?) car on the side street or even in a driveway and may have momentarily parsed it as possibly moving toward you. Not sure if that would be forward collision warning or what. I have noticed that FCW sends a brief alarm for cars parked on an inside curve as you approach them. I have also seen cars show up on the display in the wrong orientation (e.g., parallel to you) when they are actually passing at a right angle. (This is all on V8.1)

Was it night? Your headlights reflecting off a stationary car's reflectors may have confused the Tesla into thinking it was moving or at least active.

 

[Dmagyar]

Late afternoon, prior to dusk.

 

[dsvick]

False positives can happen occasionally

False positives of what? Was something going to run me over from behind as I’m driving away from whatever this was, that’s what I’m trying to understand.

False positive of nothing, that usually what that means. You got a sensor warning that something was there but there really wasn't, or at least nothing significant enough to have warranted the warning. It could have been any number or actual things: large insect that flew too close, a piece or road debris, a shadow, reflected sunlight, a leaf blowing in the wind ....
Or it could simply have been a sensor or software glitch and there was literally nothing there.

At this point I wouldn't worry about it. If it happens again report it as bug right when it happens so the logs get flagged and Tesla can review them.