AP following the idiot in front

[EVie'sDad]

I believe is it documented that below 18 miles per hour, the vehicle will follow the car in front of it. I did notice that the photo does indicate the left side ultrasonic sensors did detect the barrier to the left,so I don't think you would have hit it.

I also believe the photo shows a bug (where the lanes were being tracked but the car was not). The car should have been hightlighted, not the lanes, as you were at 6 mph indicating the car was in following mode. I also find it telling the user's set speed was 78 mph, 8 mph over the legal speed. I wonder if one can be cited by posting such images?

Unfortunately, the car will act as lemming and follow the idiot in front off a cliff if the driver is not paying attention below 18 mph. That is why, regardless of any warnings or not, the driver needs to always be paying attention to road conditions. The car will not be held at fault, the driver will.

 

[fallen888]

I also find it telling the user's set speed was 78 mph, 8 mph over the legal speed. I wonder if one can be cited by posting such images?

Set speed can be whatever, but I wasn't going that speed.

 

[Electroman]

I would never drive with AP at anything over 75 even at straight stretches.

 

[fallen888]

I would never drive with AP at anything over 75 even at straight stretches.

Not the point of this discussion.

 

[Roger_wilco]

I think its logical to assume human drivers will do the same to avoid last minute obstacles on the road. Or in a traffic jam, especially if you cant see whats going on a couple of cars ahead of you, you have no choices other then following the one in front of you.
The pictured scenario seems difficult for decision making. Ride over lane marking to make progress on the road, or follow the lane and dont go anywhere, keep spending the remaining valuable battery juice. I really wonder whether they implemented a version of three laws of robotics somewhere in the firmware

 

[Lesifass]

Actually, it makes sense. When on the highway, on slow or stopped traffic, it is good habit to keepy on the side so if any emergency service needs to go through, it gets much easily.

While this is required by law in Germany (and Austria, and possibly other countries), it might be bad practice or even illegal in other areas.
So the obvious solution is to add some GPS location awareness and automatically move to the far left (if there is no adjacent lane) or right (if there is an adjacent lane on the left side) where this is required by law.

Right now, it's basically illegal to use Autopilot in a traffic jam in Germany or Austria, unless AP just follows the car in front and that car does it right. Since nobody really cares or knows about the "Rettungsgasse" in Germany that's very unlikely though, and AP should do better than the average driver.

 

[fallen888]

I also find it telling the user's set speed was 78 mph, 8 mph over the legal speed. I wonder if one can be cited by posting such images?

I just noticed this image on the Tesla site, and it reminded me of this discussion... https://www.tesla.com/tesla_theme/assets/img/features/software/autopilot-dashboard.jpg?20160923

 

[fallen888]

you have no choices other then following the one in front of you.

Sure you do - just stay in your lane. If the car in front moves out of the lane (maybe driver feel asleep?) it's a terrible idea to just follow along.

 

[The_Mike]

If this was "follow that car" AP mode why is the instrument panel not showing the car in front in Blue, but is instead showing the lane markers in blue?

I would have expected that when lane-markers show in Blue then that is what AP is using for guidance.

Perhaps AP is supposed to use some-and-some ?

Yeah, I'm wondering if this is a recent change. The UI only shows one or the other - either the lanes or the car in front as blue (meaning the car is using that item as its guide). But I wonder if there is a blending or weighing of features that can be activated in certain use-cases. Clearly, it is inappropriate at this time as described by the OP. There are a myriad of reasons why following the car in front OUT of the lane is a terrible idea. There could just as easily be debris on the shoulder as in the road, the car might be exiting or being inattentive, there could be a whole lane of traffic on that side! Notice that the ultrasonic sensors are clearly showing an obstruction. AP has no idea if this is the left lane or the right.

I think it's safe to say that this isn't desired behavior and that the OP just hit one of the many AP cases where the system is not working as designed. To suggest otherwise is a little disingenuous in my opinion.

 

[Roger_wilco]

Sure you do - just stay in your lane. If the car in front moves out of the lane (maybe driver feel asleep?) it's a terrible idea to just follow along.

Here is the scenario. An accident blocks all the lanes except outer half of left lane butyou are not aware of the accident, all you seeing is everyone slowly moving over left line. Do you (or AP) stay and wait in the lane endlessly?

 

[fallen888]

Here is the scenario. An accident blocks all the lanes except outer half of left lane butyou are not aware of the accident, all you seeing is everyone slowly moving over left line. Do you (or AP) stay and wait in the lane endlessly?

Me, no. AP, it damn well better. We're not talking fifth level of autonomy here - current AP cannot and should not be making those kind of decisions.

 

[joebiker25]

In slow, stop and go traffic, I find that AP behavior of following the car in front even when lane markings are visible is super annoying. Today, I was following a young couple who were practically dancing in their car which caused their vehicle to go side to side in the lane and my MS dutifully followed. Just stay in the middle!!!
P.S. First world problems...I LOVE AP!!!

 

[JeffK]

While this is required by law in Germany (and Austria, and possibly other countries), it might be bad practice or even illegal in other areas.

So the obvious solution is to add some GPS location awareness and automatically move to the far left (if there is no adjacent lane) or right (if there is an adjacent lane on the left side) where this is required by law.

Exactly, here in the US we typically have shoulders wide enough for emergency vehicles on the major highways near cities. Out in the country it's more shoulder plus grass.

I firmly believe Tesla will have different neural networks for each region. I'd be really interested to see what would happen if someone attempted to take an AP 2 car around the world. Would each car hold all the networks, would they be updated as the car travels toward that region, etc?