Cruise control inappropriately slamming on brakes

[subieworx]

I was on a trip this past weekend and experienced it several times. Have had my M3P for about a month now.

Was on the highway behind a model x that was overtaking a semi truck with a strange load on an open trailer. It nailed the brakes as ir pulled along side and I chuckled. My car then tried to pass and did the exact same thing. At least it's consistent...

 

[SDFun]

I have my M3 for 10 days. today I encountered some asphalt and a concrete road,(45MPH speed limit), and the car braked so hard like someone ran out in front. Is the change in road color something I need to expect this to happen and take over from cruise control I don't want to get rear-ended

 

[TheDudeHere]

We got our M3 at the end of May. We took a road trip from PA up to Portland, ME. I noticed a couple consistent events similar to what SDFun described.

-Car seems to brake suddenly when going over bridges where the road is a different color.
-On highways, going upwards on an incline when reaching the top it seems to want to brake. This is pretty consistent.
-System also seemed to be easily spooked by a car pulled off to the side of a road as well.
-All of these behaviors were exacerbated during low light times of day.

 

[SDFun]

Yesterday I had phantom braking on a divided 35MPH road that I have traveled several times. No cars in either direction. tesla is investigating this incident will post if I get answers

 

[27172]

Hi, first post here.

I'm having significant issues with the adaptive cruise control. There is a 2 lane road near me with a 50 limit, and I like to set the cruise to stop me speeding. However, on a couple off occasions the cruise control has hammered on the brakes when a truck has been coming the other way - despite being safely and completely in its own lane.

I have had the same thing on motorways; overtake something, then pull back into the middle lane with a lorry in the inside lane. The cruise control seems to think that I am going to drive into the lorry and, again, hammers on the brakes.

It is lucky that I haven't had anyone smash into the back of me. I've had to stop using cruise on 2 lane roads and hover my foot over the accelerator when anywhere near a lorry on the motorway in case it decides to randomly fire me through the windshield.

Am I alone in this?

I have the same problem with my new Tesla, 1500 miles. put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops , slams on the brakes. it's a terrible issue and if I can't get it fixed, I will get rid of the car. this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!

 

[alexgr]

put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops

Are you sure you own a Tesla? You either not telling the truth or not not following the directions to keep hold of the steering wheel, so not telling the truth.

 

[alexgr]

I have my M3 for 10 days. today I encountered some asphalt and a concrete road,(45MPH speed limit), and the car braked so hard like someone ran out in front. Is the change in road color something I need to expect this to happen and take over from cruise control I don't want to get rear-ended

Are there road lane marks? Can you submit the coordinates of the place where the issue happened?

 

[derotam]

Are you sure you own a Tesla? You either not telling the truth or not not following the directions to keep hold of the steering wheel, so not telling the truth.

So you have never heard of phantom braking? It is a known occurrence though it is highly situation/location dependent.

 

[derotam]

I have the same problem with my new Tesla, 1500 miles. put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops , slams on the brakes. it's a terrible issue and if I can't get it fixed, I will get rid of the car. this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!

I am going to assume this is a phantom braking incident which is highly situation/location dependent. If it happens regularly at a specific location, you could report that to Tesla.

 

[Kevy Baby]

this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!

I always love hyperbole like this (especially in one's very first post).

1. I have never seen (other than on this board) where BRAKING is considered "extremely dangerous"
2. Since it is the car behind you is essentially the one affected, if that driver is even half-way doing their job of paying attention, the worst that will happen is you would get rear-ended. And even that is pretty far-fetched. Most likely, you might piss someone off.
3. Auto Pilot is a driving AID: it is NOT a chauffeur that allows you to take a nap while you're in the driver's seat. You are responsible to pay attention at all times. I have never had a phantom braking incident that was anything more than mildly annoying as I am able to quickly react and correct.
4. That being said, phantom braking is a a known issue and much discussed on TMC. I suggest doing a search for this term ("phantom braking") and doing a little reading.

And welcome to Tesla ownership and to TMC.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Are you sure you own a Tesla? You either not telling the truth or not not following the directions to keep hold of the steering wheel, so not telling the truth.

I rarely give a thumbs down any more, but felt compelled to on this post. You aren't new here (on TMC), so how could you not have seen any one of the gazillions of posts about phantom braking? What this poster describes is very much in line with what is oft reported with phantom braking.

Also, this was this person's very first post. Try to be a little kinder to a newbie.

 

[alexgr]

So you have never heard of phantom braking? It is a known occurrence though it is highly situation/location dependent.

Of course I experienced what is called "phantom" braking many times. In most situations, the "phantom" braking is predictable, so not so phantom. It is also exceedingly rare now. That said, under no conditions Tesla "panic stops". The first and only post of that person "I have the same problem with my new Tesla, 1500 miles. put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops , slams on the brakes. it's a terrible issue and if I can't get it fixed, I will get rid of the car. this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!" contains a bunch of clickbait accusations with no information or questions that makes me wonder if that person is real. I'll be happy if proven wrong.

 

[alexgr]

I rarely give a thumbs down any more, but felt compelled to on this post. You aren't new here (on TMC), so how could you not have seen any one of the gazillions of posts about phantom braking? What this poster describes is very much in line with what is oft reported with phantom braking.

Also, this was this person's very first post. Try to be a little kinder to a newbie.

I am not new here, and I have never seen real stories that Tesla "panic stops" because of the ghost braking. If the first and only post claims that on "cruise control" Tesla "panic stops" and this "can cause a fatal crash", then my bs-meter overloads and I stop being a nice calm rational personality. If I could I would have downvoted my post myself.

 

[derotam]

Of course I experienced what is called "phantom" braking many times. In most situations, the "phantom" braking is predictable, so not so phantom. It is also exceedingly rare now. That said, under no conditions Tesla "panic stops". The first and only post of that person "I have the same problem with my new Tesla, 1500 miles. put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops , slams on the brakes. it's a terrible issue and if I can't get it fixed, I will get rid of the car. this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!" contains a bunch of clickbait accusations with no information or questions that makes me wonder if that person is real. I'll be happy if proven wrong.

Whether you are wrong or right is the not issue with your post.

 

[alexgr]

Whether you are wrong or right is the not issue with your post.

I know, I know. It is my vigilance of FUD and FUDsters. We do have people here on TMC who apparently work promote other brands or FUD about Tesla. Some of them are pretty sincere in their intentions so much so I kind of miss new posts of that FordMME guy.

 

[27172]

I rarely give a thumbs down any more, but felt compelled to on this post. You aren't new here (on TMC), so how could you not have seen any one of the gazillions of posts about phantom braking? What this poster describes is very much in line with what is oft reported with phantom braking.

Also, this was this person's very first post. Try to be a little kinder to a newbie.

Just got the car so I usually don't go online to find out what the defects are before I go ahead and start driving it.

 

[27172]

Of course I experienced what is called "phantom" braking many times. In most situations, the "phantom" braking is predictable, so not so phantom. It is also exceedingly rare now. That said, under no conditions Tesla "panic stops". The first and only post of that person "I have the same problem with my new Tesla, 1500 miles. put it on cruise control, nobody in either direction, the tesla panic stops , slams on the brakes. it's a terrible issue and if I can't get it fixed, I will get rid of the car. this an extremely dangerous situation that can cause a fatal.crash!!!" contains a bunch of clickbait accusations with no information or questions that makes me wonder if that person is real. I'll be happy if proven wrong.

I am real and was scared out of my mind. Your a fool if you think this is a non issue. Car should not be allowed on the road in cruise control mode. Tesla, fix your problem before someone dies in a serious rear end crash!

 

[ChicagoJoe]

Knowing that there is a phantom breaking problem doesn’t excuse it. Someone telling you they are stabbing you as they do it doesn’t really improve the situation. I’ve had my M3LR 3 years now and most of the driving automation either in the city (Chicago) or on the highway is just so stupid-bad that I just no longer even use it.

If I have to watch over my car the same way you’d watch over a toddler in a china shop, the answer is pretty much the same: don’t do it—don’t take your toddler into a china shop; don’t use the Tesla driving automation.

The best part is that WE PAY for the privilege to beta test their software, contribute data to the models, help them bugtest their code—at our own personal risk (and I’m not including and making excuses for those yahoos that turn on autopilot while sleeping/sitting in the passenger seat/etc.) And we’re paying full price to do it! It’s not like we’re getting some kinda deal—TACC is going to cost the same regardless (I know FSD is going to increase).

I find this ‘imminent release of FSD’ highly dubious given how the software currently performs on anything less than absolutely perfect conditions—and if that’s their requirements to use it, that’s false advertising and they need to offer a refund to anyone that wants it.

 

[alexgr]

I am real and was scared out of my mind. Your a fool if you think this is a non issue. Car should not be allowed on the road in cruise control mode. Tesla, fix your problem before someone dies in a serious rear end crash!

Okay, let's unpack.
0) First, I apologize if my suspicion was erroneous.
1) Now, was you on "cruise control", "autopilot", or "navigate on autopilot"?
2) Do you reaffirm the car has stopped as you stated in your first message?
3) Describe the road condition?
4) Describe deceleration . Try to reproduce it manualy and then report.
5) Have you had experience with TACC in non-Tesla vehicles? The phantom braking is not an exclusively Tesla problem, you know, right? Do you support the idea of all TACC-able cars to be not allowed on the roads?

Thank you for your response.

 

[alexgr]

Knowing that there is a phantom breaking problem doesn’t excuse it. Someone telling you they are stabbing you as they do it doesn’t really improve the situation. I’ve had my M3LR 3 years now and most of the driving automation either in the city (Chicago) or on the highway is just so stupid-bad that I just no longer even use it.

If I have to watch over my car the same way you’d watch over a toddler in a china shop, the answer is pretty much the same: don’t do it—don’t take your toddler into a china shop; don’t use the Tesla driving automation.

The best part is that WE PAY for the privilege to beta test their software, contribute data to the models, help them bugtest their code—at our own personal risk (and I’m not including and making excuses for those yahoos that turn on autopilot while sleeping/sitting in the passenger seat/etc.) And we’re paying full price to do it! It’s not like we’re getting some kinda deal—TACC is going to cost the same regardless (I know FSD is going to increase).

I find this ‘imminent release of FSD’ highly dubious given how the software currently performs on anything less than absolutely perfect conditions—and if that’s their requirements to use it, that’s false advertising and they need to offer a refund to anyone that wants it.

Ha. Driving in Chicago... enough said. Assuming (based on your post) you didn't purchased the FSD and can't use Navigate on AP, the AP works rather flawlessly for me, especially on highways, except for phantom braking that happen once in a couple weeks now or so (and I can predict it nearly in all cases). If you feel uncomfortable, you always can stop sharing the car data.