What would Autopilot do with wrong-way driver? (Tesla cam video)

[Kermit]

I was letting my friend try out the Autopilot feature for the first time on Interstate 80 near Sacramento when a half dozen police and highway patrol cars came up behind us with lights and sirens. He moved over 1 lane to let them by, disengaging the AP. Suddenly a car appeared driving head-on straight at us... Fortunately my friend instinctively moved over and avoided tragedy. The whole event was captured on Tesla side and front cameras. I wonder how the AP would have dealt with the wrong-way driver? The police turned off and headed (the wrong way) up an on-ramp to reverse direction and chase the car. We still don't know the outcome of the situation. The car appeared to be a new Mazda without license plates, maybe it was stolen from a dealership.

Here is the edited Tesla Cam video.

 

[MTSN]

Wow that’s nuts!

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

I was letting my friend try out the Autopilot feature for the first time on Interstate 80 near Sacramento when a half dozen police and highway patrol cars came up behind us with lights and sirens. He moved over 1 lane to let them by, disengaging the AP. Suddenly a car appeared driving head-on straight at us... Fortunately my friend instinctively moved over and avoided tragedy. The whole event was captured on Tesla side and front cameras. I wonder how the AP would have dealt with the wrong-way driver? The police turned off and headed (the wrong way) up an on-ramp to reverse direction and chase the car. We still don't know the outcome of the situation. The car appeared to be a new Mazda without license plates, maybe it was stolen from a dealership.

Here is the edited Tesla Cam video.

That's terrible, I hope no one ended up being hurt. I have only ever had to deal with a driver going the wrong way on the freeway once, and it was a surreal experience. Fortunately there was no traffic, so I had plenty of time to react. Your friend didn't have a lot of time!

In answer to your question, I don't think AP would deal well with a wrong-way driver. (It would probably run directly into them, though it might sometimes try to brake a bit first.)

 

[Tz00]

@Jerk had the forward collision warning alert him to a car going the wrong way in his lane before he saw it on a divided highway. He wasn't using AP at the time.

 

[Dre78]

Wrong way driver is an exception that I doubt Autopilot has had enough experience to know what to do.

Aftermath would be devastating. Here's a Model X versus... something now unrecognizable.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Wrong way driver is an exception that I doubt Autopilot has had enough experience to know what to do.

Aftermath would be devastating. Here's a Model X versus... something now unrecognizable.

“Clearly” a Ford Focus Hatchback. Much better to be in a 5300 pound vehicle than a 3000 pound vehicle.

Any significant braking that AEB could do in a situation like this will dramatically improve survivability for both drivers. I think the most reasonable hope is that it could reduce the collision forces, not avoid the accident. At the moment, evasive action seems like too difficult a problem to solve, and I’m not sure whether EAP is designed to even try. Anyone know? I’ve seen videos, but none that confirm no driver input. I just imagine phantom evasive action instead of phantom braking - would make things interesting!

 

[Knightshade]

AP is explicitly not intended for use anywhere there's oncoming traffic currently- the manual is pretty clear on that points- so I wouldn't expect it to "do" anything to react to something it's not intended to ever have happen to it- other than kick AEB as it would for a predicted collision between itself and any moving car at all.

 

[Nocturnal]

Why wouldn't we expect that AP would brake? An oncoming car is no different than a stopped car. From the Tesla's perspective you are just approaching that stopped car twice as fast.

 

[Silicon Desert]

I wonder how the AP would have dealt with the wrong-way driver?

I suspect AP would send him one-way to the cemetery
Cool video.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Why wouldn't we expect that AP would brake? An oncoming car is no different than a stopped car. From the Tesla's perspective you are just approaching that stopped car twice as fast.

It’s not a tracked vehicle, so it’s kind of like a stopped object. We know how that can go. Though perhaps easier to distinguish than an actual stationary object.... In any case, kind of like the “move aside to expose stationary traffic” test, AEB will sometimes work and sometimes not, and starts to fail at speed differentials above ~40mph. It’s unpredictable. With 100mph differential definitely the best to be expected is AEB to shave some speed (which would be great). This is not an AP feature.

 

[Dana1]

I was letting my friend try out the Autopilot feature for the first time on Interstate 80 near Sacramento when a half dozen police and highway patrol cars came up behind us with lights and sirens. He moved over 1 lane to let them by, disengaging the AP. Suddenly a car appeared driving head-on straight at us... Fortunately my friend instinctively moved over and avoided tragedy. The whole event was captured on Tesla side and front cameras. I wonder how the AP would have dealt with the wrong-way driver? The police turned off and headed (the wrong way) up an on-ramp to reverse direction and chase the car. We still don't know the outcome of the situation. The car appeared to be a new Mazda without license plates, maybe it was stolen from a dealership.

Here is the edited Tesla Cam video.

If I’m going down for grand theft auto it’s not going to be for a Mazda,

 

[Kermit]

According to a news report they were caught in a car burglary sting -- a baited vehicle, and fled the scene. A chase ensued and attempted to evade the wrong way down US 50. They eventually abandoned and tried to flee on foot but were caught. They must have had quite a rap sheet to risk their lives (and mine!!) for breaking into a car.
2 arrested after taking Sacramento PD's burglary bait