Automatic Lights and Autopilot

[thewishy]

Wanted to share an issue I've not been mentioned before. Was driving down the A303 at 2pm last Saturday. Utterly miserable day. The automatic lights were on, and I decided that they really weren't needed, so switched them from auto to manual off. They certainly didn't improve visibility, which was fine, just... very grey.
Above 20 miles down the road autopilot aborted. It came back and then aborted again shortly after.

After a while I figured out that autopilot won't drive in very grey winter conditions without the lights on, even if the lights do nothing for visibility.

Lesson learned, leave stuff on automatic.. Thought I'd share as there wasn't "Turn the lights on or I'm going to turn off" warnings, just generic autopilot abort messages

 

[Kansalis]

After a while I figured out that autopilot won't drive in very grey winter conditions without the lights on, even if the lights do nothing for visibility.

They may not do anything for your visibility, but they certainly should be on so you are more visible to others. I find the Tesla auto lights are pretty good for that, and tend to come on in the correct conditions. Not to be confused with auto high beams while AP is active, which sometimes is not so good...

 

[Adopado]

Wanted to share an issue I've not been mentioned before. Was driving down the A303 at 2pm last Saturday. Utterly miserable day. The automatic lights were on, and I decided that they really weren't needed, so switched them from auto to manual off. They certainly didn't improve visibility, which was fine, just... very grey.
Above 20 miles down the road autopilot aborted. It came back and then aborted again shortly after.

After a while I figured out that autopilot won't drive in very grey winter conditions without the lights on, even if the lights do nothing for visibility.

Lesson learned, leave stuff on automatic.. Thought I'd share as there wasn't "Turn the lights on or I'm going to turn off" warnings, just generic autopilot abort messages

I discovered that issue a while ago too, but for me the AP bailed out instantly with full klaxons when I switched off the auto lights when it looked adequately bright to me! Since then I've noticed that if I have my lights set to manual "off" (as I often do) there is no AP availability on the display ... which at least avoids me inadvertently switching in AP and then having the klaxons go off when a cloud passes over. Now that I know that's how it works (and why) it's fair enough given the vision requirements.

 

[thewishy]

They may not do anything for your visibility, but they certainly should be on so you are more visible to others. I find the Tesla auto lights are pretty good for that, and tend to come on in the correct conditions. Not to be confused with auto high beams while AP is active, which sometimes is not so good...

The car has daylight running lights. It was 3.5 hours before dark, and my visibility of others cars wasn't improved by headlights or rear lights. Just one of those dull days.

 

[M1tch]

Far too many people drive with no lights in low light conditions for my liking, I think the Tesla settings are generally right.

I was Once was in a car with a colleague who flat out refused to use his lights until he absolutely had to as they are “£6 a bulb mate”.

Not let him drive me again since - this was 20 years ago!

 

[WannabeOwner]

Not let him drive me again since - this was 20 years ago!

Sod the 6-quid bulbs, he must have saved a fortune having you drive him everywhere