Sudden Unintended Acceleration

[Zextraterrestrial]

One foot driving, not one pedal driving. You don't use your left foot for the brake, do you?

I use left foot = stop
right foot = go
& no creep
There is no chance for errors like this. Unfortunately it works much better on classic hydraulic brakes vs the Bosch electric + newer brake pedal height has been changed from 2012/13 making it less comfortable to use 2 feet

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I use left foot = stop
right foot = go
& no creep
There is no chance for errors like this. Unfortunately it works much better on classic hydraulic brakes vs the Bosch electric + newer brake pedal height has been changed from 2012/13 making it less comfortable to use 2 feet

I tried that once. I owned a manual transmission and then test drove an automatic. My head almost hit the windshield before I even left the parking lot.

I think the vast majority of non-manual transmission cars only use the right foot when driving.

 

[bonnie]

I suspect (but obviously don't know) that it's not the one-foot driving, but rather the fact that regen kicks in as we let off the accelerator. I wonder if that somehow connects to 'I'm braking' in the brain and leads to confusion for some people.

The positive outcome, of course, of these sudden acceleration reports is that I mentally remind myself if the car is accelerating unexpectedly, perhaps I should move my foot to the brake pedal (instead of doubling down). And I bet I'm not the only one.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I tried that once. I owned a manual transmission and then test drove an automatic. My head almost hit the windshield before I even left the parking lot.

I think the vast majority of non-manual transmission cars only use the right foot when driving.

It really takes time to learn after coming from a manual but now I can actually drive a manual and do left foot braking in my S without the crazy 'unintentional' braking that comes when switching from a manual to an automatic and slamming on the brake instead of a clutch when coming to a stop. I started using my left foot to hold me at stoplights and be able to stop quicker for bad drivers/walkers

 

[Don TLR]

Perhaps you bumped the resume cruise lever while turning into your parking space.

That happened to me multiple times with a loaner recently as I wasn't used to the positioning of the levers as they are different from mine. If you allow WK057 to access your logs this whole ordeal will be over with the answer.

 

[Mark Z]

I'll never forget the first time I accidentally raised the cruise control stalk instead of the blinker. The Model X accelerated towards 18 mph in a parking structure. A quick press of the brake halted the action. The newer Model S does the same when I accidentally raise or lower the cruise stalk. Why Tesla insists on activation with an up/down motion is nonsense. The cruise stalk should only activate upon a pull motion. Let the raise and lower action change the set cruise speed anytime, just don't turn it on if it is off.

 

[sorka]

My Tesla has un-intended acceleration episodes all the time....at least according to my passengers

I suppose I should have said "at least that's what I tell my passengers"

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I'll never forget the first time I accidentally raised the cruise control stalk instead of the blinker. The Model X accelerated towards 18 mph in a parking structure. A quick press of the brake halted the action. The newer Model S does the same when I accidentally raise or lower the cruise stalk. Why Tesla insists on activation with an up/down motion is nonsense. The cruise stalk should only activate upon a pull motion. Let the raise and lower action change the set cruise speed anytime, just don't turn it on if it is off.

In our cars, pushing the cruise stalk up or down will set it at the current speed. Pulling it will set it to the speed limit plus any speed offset we've configured. With that said, I use it both ways. If I'm on a highway, I will pull it towards me and it will set it to 70 if the speed limit is 65. If I'm on roads with a slower speed limit, such as downtown or in a school zone where speeds are more strictly enforced, I use the up or down method to set it to the exact speed, such as 25 mph.

 

[SSonnentag]

That happened to me multiple times with a loaner recently as I wasn't used to the positioning of the levers as they are different from mine. If you allow WK057 to access your logs this whole ordeal will be over with the answer.

I've only had my S for about 5 weeks and have done this twice already, both in the first week. Though I am still flashing people occasionally when I try to set the cruise or autopilot. And I've been known to turn on my turn signal when trying to increase or decrease my cruise control speed. Oops!

 

[Big Earl]

I've only had my S for about 5 weeks and have done this twice already, both in the first week. Though I am still flashing people occasionally when I try to set the cruise or autopilot. Oops!

I've found myself doing the same thing, especially when going between a classic Model S and a current S or X with the new autopilot stalk.

I think Tesla's new solution with the Model 3 should prevent most of these stalk misapplication problems.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I'll never forget the first time I accidentally raised the cruise control stalk instead of the blinker. The Model X accelerated towards 18 mph in a parking structure. A quick press of the brake halted the action. The newer Model S does the same when I accidentally raise or lower the cruise stalk. Why Tesla insists on activation with an up/down motion is nonsense. The cruise stalk should only activate upon a pull motion. Let the raise and lower action change the set cruise speed anytime, just don't turn it on if it is off.

Thank you for adding one more report on this.

The cruise stalk definitely is a different type of user error than pedal application.

Of course Mercedes is the same, but IMO Tesla would do well to change it in software...

 

[Evoforce]

I've found myself doing the same thing, especially when going between a classic Model S and a current S or X with the new autopilot stalk.

I think Tesla's new solution with the Model 3 should prevent most of these stalk misapplication problems.

I had posted early in this thread about suspecting that this could have been the mistake that he made. I have found myself making the same (resume cruise) mistake when reaching for the turn signal.

The first time that I did it was especially quite surprising and scary and I may have even thought (at first) that it was a car malfunction. After some thought, I realized the mistake. That didn't keep me from doing it again by mistake...

Just when you want to be slowing down (and you are) through regen and your foot is off the brake pedal, the car lurches forward to resume cruise because that is the lever that I mistakenly accessed.

I have watched a couple of videos of Tesla's crashing into buildings from making a right hand turn from a main road and accelerating into businesses. I would swear that from what I saw, they had made the mistake that I am referencing.

Nothing says that you can't also double up on that mistake by not pushing the brake pedal in the panic and pushing the accelerator instead. Or thinking that the regen will stop you, but it won't because cruise is on.

The stalks/leavers are hard to see behind the steering wheel. Tesla has also swapped them on the column depending on the year of the vehicle and I assume that it was to help alleviate this issue.

I am glad to hear that the Model 3 has an even better position on the column.

 

[BrokerDon]

Clearly sounds like Tesla has a STALKer problem...

 

[Shock-On-T]

I modified my post to read "from a standstill (or nearly so)". One could put enough circumstances on it to avoid any but the intended constraint. Can you think of a scenario where one would want rapid acceleration from a standstill (or nearly so) when sensors detect a large object less than 20 feet away and directly in front of the vehicle?

I can think of several, even if we ignore any that involve the zombie apocalypse.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Maybe the Nissan mind-reading car isn't such a bad idea after all.

Nissan working on brain-driven cars

 

[Mark Z]

Tesla would do well to change it in software.

Or have a choice in settings to shut off the "up/down turn it on" feature.

 

[speedy]

Just when you want to be slowing down (and you are) through regen and your foot is off the brake pedal, the car lurches forward to resume cruise because that is the lever that I mistakenly accessed.

I was curious about this and just tried this when I was out just now. On my 2017 S, when you engage the cruise stalk up or down, it sets the cruise at the CURRENT speed. So there is no acceleration, just a maintaining of speed. Now, I was out testing the latest sw 2018.2, so I'm not sure what it would do on older sw, but that's what it does on the latest sw.

 

[MP3Mike]

I was curious about this and just tried this when I was out just now. On my 2017 S, when you engage the cruise stalk up or down, it sets the cruise at the CURRENT speed. So there is no acceleration, just a maintaining of speed. Now, I was out testing the latest sw 2018.2, so I'm not sure what it would do on older sw, but that's what it does on the latest sw.

I thought moving it up/down when it wasn't engaged had two different outcomes: Current speed if you haven't used CC in this drive, or to resume the last CC speed if you had used CC in this drive.

 

[Mark Z]

...there is no acceleration, just a maintaining of speed.

My earlier post is where I had slowed down below 18 mph and in making a turn in the parking structure, accidentally turned on the cruise. The vehicle has a minimum cruise speed, so there was a small acceleration to the 18 mph minimum.

I still occasionally, accidentally raise the cruise stalk on right turns, so I will check the set cruise speed the next time it occurs. It's most annoying during the turn as forward motion continues while moving the foot to the brake pedal to stop for cars backed up after the turn.

 

[Canuck]

I've found myself doing the same thing, especially when going between a classic Model S and a current S or X with the new autopilot stalk.

That happens to me too every time I get a loaner. I don't know why Tesla reversed the stock on our classics. It took me some time to get used to, when I first got the car 4 years ago, and I assume when I get my Model 3 later this year (hopefully) it will take some thinking going from one car to the other just to use the turn signals as opposed to AP.