Something interesting happened with my Service Loaner and Autopilot

[TonikQL]

So I dropped my 2016 Model S 75D off for service today. They gave me a loaner Model S (P90D but is software-locked to Chill Mode - no big deal). On the hour long drive home, I engaged autopilot and thought to myself, "wow - this autopilot handles way better". It stayed in the lane better, didn't bounce around as much, it even auto lane changed (something mine doesn't do). I thought "those jerks must've loaned me a 2020 or something with much more modern autopilot software and now I'm going to have to trade in my 2016 for this 2020 or whatever it is". So I got home and Googled the VIN to find out more info.....

......and found out my loaner is a 2015. Its a year older than mine and its autopilot is vastly superior to my 2016. What in the actual hell is going on with my autopilot? It sucks compared to this 2015. It bounces around the lane like a ping pong ball, it rides on top of the yellow line at times (nearly clipping the side view mirror). Is my AP just defective or whats going on with it?

(Brand new Tesla owner as of 3 weeks ago so I dont know much.)

 

[Verranzo]

Same thing happened to me this week as well. Got a older loaner and it's autopilot was way different. Did the car on the heads up display look way different too?

Essentially, the 2015 has autopilot 1 (AP1) which was developed by mobile eye and not by Tesla. So it's running completely different software so it's algorithms for lane keeping are way different.

From what I remember Tesla had some issue with them and some point in 2016 they decided to ditch them and make their own autopilot hardware and introduced AP2+ which all new cars have.

I'm hoping the full self driving changes coming someday will finally have the AP2+ autopilot be better than AP1.

 

[zanary]

Just a guess.

(1) Yours is a AP2.0 which should be upgradable to Full Self Driving AP3 computer if you have already paid for the FSD Software Package. You should also consider the optional $2500 Infotainment Ugrade Package as well.

Infotainment Ugrade Package information = Infotainment Upgrade
My writeup when I had it done = Tesla confirms infotainment system upgradeability from MCU1 to MCU2 for $2500

(2) Your loaner is AP1 or the now depreciated Autopilot system that Tesla was using from a 3rd party vendor which many people did say was better than the AP2 (non Full Self Driving AP3 upgraded version).

 

[Electroman]

It stayed in the lane better, didn't bounce around as much, it even auto lane changed

Mobile Eye's AP1 does not do lane changes.

 

[TonikQL]

Same thing happened to me this week as well. Got a older loaner and it's autopilot was way different. Did the car on the heads up display look way different too?

Essentially, the 2015 has autopilot 1 (AP1) which was developed by mobile eye and not by Tesla. So it's running completely different software so it's algorithms for lane keeping are way different.

From what I remember Tesla had some issue with them and some point in 2016 they decided to ditch them and make their own autopilot hardware and introduced AP2+ which all new cars have.

I'm hoping the full self driving changes coming someday will finally have the AP2+ autopilot be better than AP1.

The car on the display looked different, yes. As did most everything else regarding AP. This AP1 is just superior in every way and I am far more comfortable/confident with its abilities. Its s shame AP2 appears to be such a downgrade.

 

[jlv1]

AP2 came out starting in October 2016. You can physically tell the difference between AP1 and AP2 cars by looking at the chevrons behind the front wheels; for AP1 they are all chrome, and with AP2 (or newer) they are actually cameras. You should be able to tell if your S is AP1 or AP2.

When AP2 first came out it wasn't nearly as good as AP1. However, in the intervening years it has steadily improved and has now far surpassed AP1. The whole reason Tesla changed from AP1 (built using Mobileeye's hardware) to (software-based) AP2 was to allow it to be constantly improved, something they have definitely done.

Basically, AP1 is feature locked to the hardware that is in the car. It can't change. Mobileeye's business model supports traditional car manufacturers in that "new, better stuff" comes out in new model years. The Nissan LEAF uses their hardware for ProPilot; this year's cars are better at lane keeping compared to last year's cars. Last year's cars will never improve. AP2 puts this all in software; Tesla OTA updates give your car the latest version of autopilot every time there's an update.

Which brings me to this comment:

I thought "those jerks must've loaned me a 2020 or something with much more modern autopilot software and now I'm going to have to trade in my 2016 for this 2020 or whatever it is"

"modern autopilot" is available on any Tesla with AP2 (or newer) hardware. Which is any late-2016 onward.

 

[TonikQL]

Mobile Eye's AP1 does not do lane changes.

Let me clarify: In AP, if I would push my turn signal lever, the car would automatically make the lane change. No steering input required whatsoever and no break in AP like my 2016 does. I can get a video if someone wants to see it. The dash on the loaner says AP is v1.0. IIRC, my 2016 says 2.0.

 

[ucmndd]

Mobile Eye's AP1 does not do lane changes.

Yes it does.

 

[ucmndd]

Just a guess.

(1) Yours is a AP2.0 which should be upgradable to Full Self Driving AP3 computer if you have already paid for the FSD Software Package. You should also consider the optional $2500 Infotainment Ugrade Package as well.

Infotainment Ugrade Package information = Infotainment Upgrade
My writeup when I had it done = Tesla confirms infotainment system upgradeability from MCU1 to MCU2 for $2500

(2) Your loaner is AP1 or the now depreciated Autopilot system that Tesla was using from a 3rd party vendor which many people did say was better than the AP2 (non Full Self Driving AP3 upgraded version).

There is no appreciable difference between AP 2.0 and 3.0 basic autopilot functions at this time. They behave essentially identically.

 

[Ostrichsak]

There is no appreciable difference between AP 2.0 and 3.0 basic autopilot functions at this time. They behave essentially identically.

Except for one of which phantom brakes from 80mph sometimes for no reason and the other one is AP1.

 

[MP3Mike]

Let me clarify: In AP, if I would push my turn signal lever, the car would automatically make the lane change. No steering input required whatsoever and no break in AP like my 2016 does.

Your 2016 can do that too, but you have to have paid for EAP or FSD, it isn't part of the basic AP feature.

 

[ucmndd]

Except for one of which phantom brakes from 80mph sometimes for no reason and the other one is AP1.

Right!

I generally agree with OP, AP1 is still superior for smooth, drama-free highway cruising. It might always be.

 

[Electroman]

But the ping-ponging OP is referring to, is long gone in AP2. AP2 is just as solid on lane keeping and in fact does a good job in faint lane lines too, which AP1 constantly struggles. I think in every metric AP2 has surpassed AP1. And I say this after having driven both AP1 and AP2 extensively.

I suspect something is amiss in OP's hardware.

[I forgot about the fact that AP1 does lane changes.. its been 4 years]

 

[beatle]

I think the important distinction is "auto" lane changes. Does the car change lanes on its own to overtake if it encounters a slow moving car in front of it, or do you have to press the turn signal stalk to indicate and initiate the car to change lanes while still under autopilot?

My 2015 is the latter since it's an AP1 car.

 

[David.85D]

Mobile Eye's AP1 does not do lane changes.

That’s not true. Mine does... requires a user input to decide when, though, but then smoothly moves over a lane.

 

[Ostrichsak]

But the ping-ponging OP is referring to, is long gone in AP2. AP2 is just as solid on lane keeping and in fact does a good job in faint lane lines too, which AP1 constantly struggles. I think in every metric AP2 has surpassed AP1. And I say this after having driven both AP1 and AP2 extensively.

I suspect something is amiss in OP's hardware.

[I forgot about the fact that AP1 does lane changes.. its been 4 years]

Ping ponging from AP1? I think something was wrong with your car because I've owned four AP1 cars now and never had that problem nor have I experienced it in the dozens of other AP1 cars I've driver or ridden in. Every once in a blue moon if the center line turns into a turn lane or a right line goes wider it may briefly search but that's pretty rare, understandable and I wouldn't describe it as ping ponging at all. I've seen what I would consider ping ponging *cough*Cadillac Supercruise*cough* and AP1 is certainly not anymore prone to it than later versions of AP in my experience.

 

[TonikQL]

Your 2016 can do that too, but you have to have paid for EAP or FSD, it isn't part of the basic AP feature.

EAP? Im not familiar with that one yet.

 

[TonikQL]

I think the important distinction is "auto" lane changes. Does the car change lanes on its own to overtake if it encounters a slow moving car in front of it, or do you have to press the turn signal stalk to indicate and initiate the car to change lanes while still under autopilot?

My 2015 is the latter since it's an AP1 car.

The loaner car is the latter. I have to initiate a lane change with the blinker, but once I do the car takes over and makes the change then lines back up in the new lane. My 2016 doesn't do this at all (although as someone above stated, I guess I can buy that capability for it).

 

[MP3Mike]

EAP? Im not familiar with that one yet.

EAP = Enhanced Auto Pilot. It is a package of features between standard AP and FSD that used to be offered, though isn't currently. It includes automatic lane changes, Navigate on Autopilot, Smart Summon, and Autopark. (I think that is it.)

It was recently offered as a promotion at the end of a month, but no way to know if they will ever offer it again.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Ping ponging from AP1? I think something was wrong with your car because I've owned four AP1 cars now and never had that problem nor have I experienced it in the dozens of other AP1 cars I've driver or ridden in.

I did have the ping ponging with our two AP1 vehicles, but only in the initial calibration stages...I'd say the first week or two?