What happens if you don't grab the wheel during autopilot

[Vip]

I don't have auotpilot hardware in my car. Was wondering what the Model S would do if the autopilot was on and it warned the driver to grab the steering wheel but the driver didn't. And I don't mean in that the driver is being stupid but if the driver had a medical emergency (i.e. seizure, passed out, or heart attack) and was unable to take control.

 

[Max*]

It tells you to grab it, you do nothing.
It beeps at you telling to you to grab it, you do nothing.
It starts to slow you down while beeping at you telling you to grab it, you do nothing.
I didn't have balls to continue down the path, as there were other cars on the road.

I read/heard it's supposed to slow you down and turn on the hazard lights. I also read somewhere it's supposed to pull you over to the shoulder, but without being able to change lanes on it's own, I don't know how it can do it safely.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

If the driver doesn't respond, the car would slow down and come to a stop. It's described in the release notes this way.

 

[Vip]

Thanks for the info guys. Obviously the car has to do something if the driver doesn't respond but stopping in the middle lane of a highway sounds dangerous. I know that the chances of this happening is less than 1 percent but still possible. I am hoping that future technology will have the car go to the far right as possible and then have Tesla or emergency services contact the driver. Also possibly, if you have your phone blue toothed to the car then it could send an emergency notification to a designated contact. I think this is totally due able or am I crazy?

 

[Sparktz]

Here is a video demonstrating what happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_jcl0Lk-1w

 

[S'toon]

Bjorn's friend Jorgen made a video:

 

[Vip]

Here is a video demonstrating what happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_jcl0Lk-1w

Very cool. thanks for the link

 

[Max*]

Here is a video demonstrating what happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_jcl0Lk-1w

Nice, so it just parked you in the middle of the highway? Didn't pull over to the shoulder?

 

[Usatyke]

Thanks for posting.

 

[cmu5p]

Bjorn's friend Jorgen made a video:

THAT is pretty awesome. I might try this on my way home via desolate road after work later.

 

[1208]

It's good that the hazard warning lights flash to alert other road users.

 

[Vitold]

If AP was alerting you to take over due to (confusing) road conditions and you didn't than you'll probably crash.

 

[Max*]

If AP was alerting you to take over due to (confusing) road conditions and you didn't than you'll probably crash.

Not completely correct. It depends on the alert type. If it's the gradual "please place hands on the wheel" message, than AP will not crash, and will stop the car if you're not paying attention.

When AP doesn't know what's happening, it yells at you with an image of two hands on the wheel. That's when you'll crash.

 

[gimmi80]

Nice, so it just parked you in the middle of the highway? Didn't pull over to the shoulder?

yes it does park you in the middle of the road.
I tried it in a desert road (one lane) and it just stopped in the middle. maybe on the highway were there is an emergency lane, it pulls over...
I'm not going to try this on the highway... sorry.

 

[donv]

So, I've had my 85D for all of 24 hours now. It's told me to hold the wheel a couple of times, and at least once I put my hands on the wheel and it still kept telling me to hold the wheel. Is there a specific place you're supposed to hold it, or are you supposed to steer a little bit, or what?

 

[dhanson865]

So, I've had my 85D for all of 24 hours now. It's told me to hold the wheel a couple of times, and at least once I put my hands on the wheel and it still kept telling me to hold the wheel. Is there a specific place you're supposed to hold it, or are you supposed to steer a little bit, or what?

From what I understand it wants you to give the slightest tug or rest one hand more heavily than the other so the torque sensor knows you have the wheel. It isn't tactile based so just lightly touching won't matter where you touch.

 

[mmccord]

When AP doesn't know what's happening, it yells at you with an image of two hands on the wheel. That's when you'll crash.

Actually, it'll start slowing down in that instance also, and i presume it would come to a compete stop.

I was driving today with AP and unexpectedly got the red alert even though it was doing a decent job of keeping the lane. I had my hands on the wheel (as always), but didn't make enough of a tug in either direction for the car to realize i had them there, because it was still dead center in the lane. The car started slowing down, which is when i realized the red alert message was still there. The whole thing only took about 3 seconds and i immediately pulled the wheel a bit to let HAL know i was in control.

 

[Max*]

Actually, it'll start slowing down in that instance also, and i presume it would come to a compete stop.

I was driving today with AP and unexpectedly got the red alert even though it was doing a decent job of keeping the lane. I had my hands on the wheel (as always), but didn't make enough of a tug in either direction for the car to realize i had them there, because it was still dead center in the lane. The car started slowing down, which is when i realized the red alert message was still there. The whole thing only took about 3 seconds and i immediately pulled the wheel a bit to let HAL know i was in control.

You're right, I should've said that's when you might crash.

I've had your situation happen. I've also had it yell at me in a turn and want to drive into the grass (I was obviously watching it and didn't let it)

 

[mmccord]

Yes, i suppose i should clarify also that there have been many times i would have been off the road long before it got a chance to slow down if i just left AP to do its thing unattended. I would say what happened today was a less likely outcome.
I drive a lot of non-highway miles, so I've gotten the chance to really push AP to its limits. I'm working on some videos of edge cases that i think could use improvement.

 

[gavine]

If the car is going to stop, it needs to engage the brake lights, not just the hazards. People drive in the highway with their hazards on but other drivers can't tell they are stopped until the last second. I have seen it before and it was dangerous. Brake lights would be MUCH safer.