What drives AP1 "Hold Steering Wheel" prompt timeframes?

[Kross]

I've noticed that my AP1 prompts me for the usual "Hold Steering Wheel" with different spans of time in between each prompt. And I haven't been able to find a solid correlation between variables for it myself. Wondering if anyone here knows how the Model-S decides when to prompt the driver, while AP1 is on?

For example, when sitting in slow-moving traffic, often times my car goes 15-20 minutes without prompting me to hold the wheel. However, when driving normally, sometimes I get prompted within 3-5 minutes and sometimes even within 60 seconds, regardless of how fast I am going!

I've found no solid correlation to my actual speed or distance being covered (other than the fact that in slow moving traffic it prompts me less). And my speed limit settings are set to 4mph over limit; I rarely ever manually increase the limit with the gas pedal when on AP. I do often up the max speed with the AP-stalk though. This does not automatically induce a prompt, however.

So, the times between prompts appear to be sporadic and all over the place for me, as far as I can tell.

 

[Max*]

There was an infographic that was part of the NHTSA investigation for when the Model S hit the white tractor trailer. I can't find it offhand, but someone with better search skills should be able to.

 

[Carl]

I must admit I don't have those search skills, but in any event it happens:

- more or less whenever you want to change lanes;
- halfway sharp turns;
- when car starts waving, e.g. after the crest of a hill;
- when AP (erroneously or not) decides autosteer should be limited to x km/h and you overrule that by using the accelerator pedal for more than 20 seconds or so.

Otherwise, in stop-and-go traffic hardly ever and on highways every 3-5 minutes as you say (you grow a habit of doing it yourself before AP nags you - problem is, I now sometimes do it with my wide's Mini as well, which gets me strange looks from passengers ).

 

[lunitiks]

I think it's pretty regular at least when setting max speed / driving above registered speed limit.
Autopilot nagging intervals

 

[Max*]

Source:NTSB report on fatal Joshua Brown accident in Florida

 

[Snowstorm]

That time frame seems way more generous than what I get on AP2. If I recall, I always get promoted every minute. I hope it will increase in the future as I have to giggle the wheel for it to think I am holding the wheel.

 

[Kross]

Source:NTSB report on fatal Joshua Brown accident in Florida

This is really helpful! Thank you for posting. This explains why I sometimes sit in traffic for 15+ minutes without any nag prompts.

 

[Max*]

That time frame seems way more generous than what I get on AP2. If I recall, I always get promoted every minute. I hope it will increase in the future as I have to giggle the wheel for it to think I am holding the wheel.

Lol, nice disagree on that post.

That infographic was for AP1 at the time of the accident. Tesla makes about a dozen changes a day (tongue in cheek), so who knows what it is now.

 

[lunitiks]

This is clearly software controlled. I get nags way more often than that (old) report says, and they come regularly like clockwork when driving above what the car thinks is speed limit.

Perhaps Tesla changed things up a bit after the Brown accident...

(AP1 btw)

 

[Tjhappel]

AP2 is every 60 seconds in fast moving situations, very annoying. So I guess we are not at AP1 parity yet! New update out, maybe we are there.... right guys?

 

[Max*]

This is clearly software controlled. I get nags way more often than that (old) report says, and they come regularly like clockwork when driving above what the car thinks is speed limit.

Perhaps Tesla changed things up a bit after the Brown accident...

(AP1 btw)

You get nags more often than every 60 seconds?

There are other things that trigger nags, like hitting the accelerator while in AP (not listed in the infographic).

 

[doctorwho]

That time frame seems way more generous than what I get on AP2. If I recall, I always get promoted every minute. I hope it will increase in the future as I have to giggle the wheel for it to think I am holding the wheel.

Yes, I often get prompted every minute at highway speeds too

 

[Phillip L]

I like to grip my hand on the lower part of the steering wheel to rest my shoulders and often I will still get the warning but never if gripping the top of the wheel. Maybe have a "dead area" on the bottom of the wheel? Or do others experience this. Mine is a 2015 Model S with AP version 1.

 

[Medpilot]

I like to grip my hand on the lower part of the steering wheel to rest my shoulders and often I will still get the warning but never if gripping the top of the wheel. Maybe have a "dead area" on the bottom of the wheel? Or do others experience this. Mine is a 2015 Model S with AP version 1.

I rest my left hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and rarely get prompts to hold the wheel. I have 2014 P85D AP1. I don't think there are sensors on the wheel itself. I believe it's a torque sensing mechanism for the entire wheel.

 

[Max*]

I rest my left hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and rarely get prompts to hold the wheel. I have 2014 P85D AP1. I don't think there are sensors on the wheel itself. I believe it's a torque sensing mechanism for the entire wheel.

I do the same, and from what I've read it is a torque sensor.

 

[boonedocks]

Source:NTSB report on fatal Joshua Brown accident in Florida

I don't get nags because I can't take my hands off of the steering wheel from "helping" my AP2 car. If I did take my hands off I would probably get a ticket in the first mile for txting while driving the way my car behaves on its own. :/

 

[MikeBur]

There was an infographic that was part of the NHTSA investigation for when the Model S hit the white tractor trailer. I can't find it offhand, but someone with better search skills should be able to.

Here: NTSB report on fatal Joshua Brown accident in Florida

 

[MikeBur]

Source:NTSB report on fatal Joshua Brown accident in Florida

Lol - you found it... should read latest post first I gues ;-)

 

[Max*]

Lol - you found it... should read latest post first I gues ;-)

No one else put in the time (until you showed up), so I had to dig out your post from that thread. Thanks though!

 

[Phillip L]

I do the same, and from what I've read it is a torque sensor.

So I am just too limp wristed for it to sense I have my hand on the wheel. Guess I have to work on a heavier grasp.