3+ hour drive with auto pilot

sobep85d · Dec 27, 2015

Cruising down the Florida Turnpike on cruise control is probably what the "beta" version of our software was programed for? I drove 3+ hours and the software made almost no mistakes with the exception of wanting to "exit out" a few times driving in the right lane. The car steered to follow the right lane indicator and wanted to exit out to the right. I have now learned to "guide the car" through exit areas and the autopilot is getting more adaptive.

Nevertheless, the car basically drove itself for 220 miles, and in my book, this is very impressive.

However, this being my fourth long distance road trip using the autopilot, I have noticed an habitual error in the software/hardware. The navigation/map will freeze up using the autopilot for long periods of time. I am getting the impression the computer is going in to lock-mode because of the amount of data coming in from all the sensors? The map/GPS freezes up and locks.

Has anyone else had this habitual error?

SoBeP85D

P85DEE · Dec 28, 2015

Very impressive to be able to stay on AP for that long.

mwulff · Dec 28, 2015

I've had the same experience. I activated the autopilot when I drove onto the motorway in Flensburg, Germany. I deactivated it when I reached Odense two hours later.

It is brilliant when it works but I do miss it when it rains or is otherwise unavailable.

kort677 · Dec 28, 2015

in a few weeks I'll be driving from FLA to CO, I'll see and report on the AP action.

chickensevil · Dec 30, 2015

Drove to Ohio from VA and back again, similar experiences, although it seems like it does mostly ok on the exit ramps (even without intervention of any kind), what kept throwing it off was when they would make a third lane for the slow trucks climbing the mountains and the car would get confused as the lane got wider and then once it saw the lane markings it would generally pull back to where it was supposed to.

I know you are supposed to pay attention and such, but coming back after the holiday, I was practically asleep for the first 2.5 hours of driving as the car just did it's thing. :redface:

I also would have likely crashed and died in both directions had I not had it since I was quite tired from my 7 hour trip each way with only 1 charging stop. Can't wait until they make it even better and you can truly and safely just go to sleep in the car.

Cosmacelf · Dec 30, 2015

I'm in the middle of making my 500 mile trip from the Fremont factory to San Diego in my new Model X. So far autopilot (after 3+hours of driving) has been wonderful. Worked flawlessly up and down the grapevine and on the 5 south. It takes a LOT less mental energy to drive with autopilot. Especially in stop and go segments. Very worthwhile.

kort677 · Dec 31, 2015

I agree, I think that the performance of the AP in stop and go traffic is nothing short of amazing

Cosmacelf · Dec 31, 2015

In the 500 mile trip, I used it all the time after I got onto the freeways, and even reasonable highways. The only time it gave up repeatedly was through the segment of I5 from about Burbank down to Anaheim, which they have under construction, so lots of very tight (for freeway speeds) turns. I did this segment at like 2am so hardly any traffic, which was a problem since the autopilot wasn't slowing down for those tight turns. During the day, it would most probably handle that section without a problem as it would be following a slower car.

I'll reiterate that autopilot made this trip doable. 9.5 hours of travel time from 6pm until 3:30 am. I had some mild caffeine help, but there is no way I would have been able to do that without actual sleep breaks if I had been driving, instead of tending the autopilot. Tending the autopilot is just the right amount of alertness to not get bored, but it doesn't tire you out like driving.

Trailblazer · Dec 31, 2015

For my first out-of-town trip in my Model S, I recently drove 3+ hours using Autopilot on I-77 and I-26 in South Carolina. I was surprised at how few nags I got - maybe 4 or 5 in the entire trip. I remember just 2 or 3 times where the car considered taking the exit ramp as well, but corrected itself. The software engineers that worked on AP really hit a home run - they released a "beta" product that certainly goes over and above reasonable expectations.

Also - stopped at the Supercharger in Santee (my first Supercharger) - 5 of the 6 chargers were in use.

kort677 · Dec 31, 2015

Cosmacelf said:
I The only time it gave up repeatedly was through the segment of I5 from about Burbank down to Anaheim, which they have under construction, so lots of very tight (for freeway speeds) turns.

you shouldn't be using the AP in construction zones, YMMV

- - - Updated - - -

Trailblazer said:
Also - stopped at the Supercharger in Santee (my first Supercharger) - 5 of the 6 chargers were in use.

wow, I've never seen another car there in the few times I've charged there.

Cosmacelf · Dec 31, 2015

kort677 said:
you shouldn't be using the AP in construction zones, YMMV.

It wasn't the construction per se, it was that the freeway had non standard turning radii here and there. During the day, it wouldn't be a problem since traffic would be going slow, but at 2am, there was no traffic, and the beta autopilot does not slow down for moderately tight curves. It tries to keep the speed at the set point, even though a human driver would slow down for curves.

I am hoping the next autopilot iteration has the ability to slow down for curves...

Jool · Dec 31, 2015

Cosmacelf said:
It wasn't the construction per se, it was that the freeway had non standard turning radii here and there. During the day, it wouldn't be a problem since traffic would be going slow, but at 2am, there was no traffic, and the beta autopilot does not slow down for moderately tight curves. It tries to keep the speed at the set point, even though a human driver would slow down for curves.

I am hoping the next autopilot iteration has the ability to slow down for curves...

The next autopilot update is supposed to include slowing down for curves in the road. Just gotta wait for it :smile:

Pinarello · Dec 31, 2015

I've been using AP in every suitable situation and it performs very well. Similar experience with right hand exits that will sometimes confuse AP and going over hills when the road turns at the apex of the hill. Very pleased with the performance of the Beta. If "guiding the car" means keeping gentle pressure to prevent the car from exiting at a right hand exit, that has been successful for me as well.

2krazykats · Jan 1, 2016

kort677 said:
in a few weeks I'll be driving from FLA to CO, I'll see and report on the AP action.

Are you coming for pleasure or work? No snow in the forecast in the next week if that's when you're getting here.

kort677 · Jan 1, 2016

2krazykats said:
Are you coming for pleasure or work? No snow in the forecast in the next week if that's when you're getting here.

I'm coming to ski, not until the end of the month.

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3+ hour drive with auto pilot

sobep85d

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chickensevil

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