Finally Got my new Model Y LR - How it all went!

I'm posting this to share what happened on this trip, to help other newbies prepare for their new Tesla's, and because I have some questions.

Circumstances dictated that I pick up the car on my way from Rochester, NY to Boston. So, we drove from Rochester to Oneida (at a just opened distribution facility) about 2 hours away and right on the path of our trip. Sweet. The folks were very nice and it was located on the top floor of the parking garage of a gambling casino. Pretty amusing, and they let us leave my wife's car there at no cost, so we'll pick it up on our way back.

They explained as much as they could, and made sure to answer every question I had. There was absolutely no rush on their part to get me out. That part of it was a GOOD experience. I'd also done as much homework ahead of time as I could, watching all the introductory videos and reading some of the online manual.

I THOUGHT I was all prepared. Turns out I really wasn't, never having taken it on more than 2 test drives.

Stuff I learned and experienced:

1. When using cruise control and setting the distance from vehicles to the max of 7 car lengths, it really didn't feel like that far away, and sometimes my car took me too close, making me feel like that really wasn't working correctly. Error on my part??
2. When using TACC (Traffic-Aware Cruise Control) and signaling to change lanes, DO NOT RELEASE THE TURN SIGNAL UNTIL YOU ARE ACTUALLY IN THE NEW LANE!! If released too soon, the car sems to get confused and jerks back & forth a bit (scaring the crap out of my wife), forcing me to take manual control, which also resulted in cruise control dropping out and the car slowing way down until I got my foot on the gas pedal. I must have looked somewhat out of control to other drivers. I finally mastered it, but it WAS a bit alarming until I did.
3. Micro-Adjusting speed from the steering wheel is a joy and beautifully implemented.
4. The software controls, menus, etc,. are incredibly well thought out and designed. Excellent engineering. I'm a former IT guy, so I feel qualified to pass judgement.
5. The rear-view mirror is a HUGE disappointment. It is tiny, dark, and hard to see what's behind you when there's anything other than a darker sky behind it in the front windshield. I'll be installing a Wolff mirror projecting from a camera mounted INSIDE the rear hatch soon as I get home.
6. The navigation software routed us to a supercharger that was about an hour off our route! Plus, it happened to be rush hour, and it was on very crowded roads, slowing us down even more. I was really getting worried about running out of juice. Not only that, but when we finally got to the plaza, my wife yelled out not to go in because there was a MacDonald's in it and that's all SHE saw. Being an obedient husband, I drove on by and then immediately realized she was wrong. I'll leave out all the expletives. This was on the Boston Turnpike at rush hour, which is about as bad as traffic can get. The charge was getting low, about 10%, I couldn't remember how to bring up the charger locations on the map, and there were no upcoming exits, so I was getting very nervous.
   
   Finally, and I'm not proud of this at all, I pulled over and BACKED UP 1-1/2 MILES, on the shoulder, to get back to the super charger location. Once I figured out how to position the 2 white lines in the best way to keep me centered on the shoulder, it ALMOST became like a video game. But it was very scary, truckers really disapproved and honked a lot, and I felt like a complete idiot. After finding the Superchargers, I made sure to TOP UP to at least 90%. Eventually, I started speaking to my wife again.

So, this morning I got up early and went through the manual, and learned all the things I should have known on the drive. I'm better prepared now, but a tad gun-shy. HOWEVER, I AM STILL LOVING THE CAR!

One remaining question: When on TACC, it felt like trucks were passing me way too close, even though I was centered in my lane. If a vehicle DOES get dangerously close, will TAAC move away from it, sound an alarm, turn itself off, or any combination of those 3 things?

Here's hoping this thread can help other new owners like myself!

- Richard

"0 Tesla Model Y 1" by Benespit is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail

 

[zoomer0056]

Autopilot (lane keeping)

Autopilot consists of two features: TACC and Autosteer.

 

[thyname]

You teally need to read the manual. However, basic Autopilot consists of two features: TACC and Autosteer.

I agree. But the OP says he already knows. Totally chuck norris style. Pardon my Chuck Norris jokes, but here is one…

Why doesn’t Chuck wear a watch? Because he DECIDES what time it is

 

[zoomer0056]

I agree. But the OP says he already knows. Totally chuck norris style. Pardon my Chuck Norris jokes, but here is one…

Why doesn’t Chuck wear a watch? Because he DECIDES what time it is

I like it!

 

[Graspod]

test

 

[txav8r]

I fully understand your concerns, in picking up the car and the first few drives with it. It is a far cry from what those without Tesla or any other EV's experience. I have had three different hybrid vehicles and even they, were nothing like a Tesla.

Based on the last post you made, and reading through this entire thread, I don't think you fully understand the terminology about the different levels of automation. And to that point, I don't think anyone has commented directly to what I understood your understanding was. Start off with no automation, your driving the car.

(1) First level of automation - TACC, you are still driving, but cruise control is on...TACC is "Traffic Aware Cruise Control". All it does, is maintain speed with consideration to following distance and speed. That means it cruises at the set speed when no traffic is in front of you. If you come upon other traffic in front of you, it will slow as needed and even brake to a stop. It will also pair speed to the flow of traffic. It does NOT keep you in the lane or steer in any way. And I am not certain if in TACC, that it will recognize the need to reduce speed in curves. I have seen it fail at that, but I have seen it try...or I may be confusing it with the drives I have had in FSD.

(2) Second level of automation - Autosteer- That is basic autopilot. It steers in the lane on highways. It, combined with TACC, will drive the car with a number of limitations. It won't auto lane change, it won't navigate on autopilot, and it won't work on city streets. It will however work in town, but it needs the markings on the roads to help it stay in a lane, without them, it won't engage.

Rather than go into more detail, I will leave it at that. I want to add that I too am still very new to this. So even what I have shared may be flawed. I just wanted you to understand that the references to TACC and Autosteer were not quite correct, and help you to better understand. That way, your questions can better be addressed and you will get better guidance and advice. I love this cars ability to improve safety and give me a more enjoyable experience behind the wheel. I spent 43 years as a professional aviator, and the last 20, with a pretty high level of attainable automation. Getting into our Model Y, is very similar in that aspect. Just remember, you are doing the driving, even when you allow George (autopilot) to have his turn. Always be in a position to take over, and don't trust it to keep you out of situations you shouldn't be in, in the first place.

 

[CDrury]

Thank you! We have the drive back this afternoon, which is pretty boring. But the sound system is great, I love just pressing the right SW button and telling it what artist to play. It's also intreating to see the list of songs that follow. On the way in, one choice ran down the rabbit hole list to Perry Como!

I always use cruise control because like many drivers I observe, I unconsciously speed up or slow down for various reasons. Then I end up playing games with various cars to get back to my preferred, mostly legal, speeds. CC makes things much easier and more consistent for ME.

And now that I think I understand how to plan it better, it should be less stressful.

One question, I assume the charge recommendations are for battery health and longevity, is that correct?

Correct

 

[Richard__G]

I fully understand your concerns, in picking up the car and the first few drives with it. It is a far cry from what those without Tesla or any other EV's experience. I have had three different hybrid vehicles and even they, were nothing like a Tesla.

Based on the last post you made, and reading through this entire thread, I don't think you fully understand the terminology about the different levels of automation. And to that point, I don't think anyone has commented directly to what I understood your understanding was. Start off with no automation, your driving the car.

(1) First level of automation - TACC, you are still driving, but cruise control is on...TACC is "Traffic Aware Cruise Control". All it does, is maintain speed with consideration to following distance and speed. That means it cruises at the set speed when no traffic is in front of you. If you come upon other traffic in front of you, it will slow as needed and even brake to a stop. It will also pair speed to the flow of traffic. It does NOT keep you in the lane or steer in any way. And I am not certain if in TACC, that it will recognize the need to reduce speed in curves. I have seen it fail at that, but I have seen it try...or I may be confusing it with the drives I have had in FSD.

(2) Second level of automation - Autosteer- That is basic autopilot. It steers in the lane on highways. It, combined with TACC, will drive the car with a number of limitations. It won't auto lane change, it won't navigate on autopilot, and it won't work on city streets. It will however work in town, but it needs the markings on the roads to help it stay in a lane, without them, it won't engage.

Rather than go into more detail, I will leave it at that. I want to add that I too am still very new to this. So even what I have shared may be flawed. I just wanted you to understand that the references to TACC and Autosteer were not quite correct, and help you to better understand. That way, your questions can better be addressed and you will get better guidance and advice. I love this cars ability to improve safety and give me a more enjoyable experience behind the wheel. I spent 43 years as a professional aviator, and the last 20, with a pretty high level of attainable automation. Getting into our Model Y, is very similar in that aspect. Just remember, you are doing the driving, even when you allow George (autopilot) to have his turn. Always be in a position to take over, and don't trust it to keep you out of situations you shouldn't be in, in the first place.

 

[Richard__G]

Hey, thanks very much. I appreciate your help and distinctions. I'm also impressed with what you've done in aviation, it sounds really interesting.

As you say, drive the car, don't let it drive me!

I have an IT background and am very impressed with their engineering. But heck, I'm still finding challenges in properly learning the vehicle.

 

[father_of_6]

My experience has been that you can press the right thumb wheel, say "Navigate to Disney world", and trust the driving directions as well as the charging times / stops.

@Richard__G - on your trip to Boston, once you missed your charging exit... did the car not reroute you to another charger and/or give you a warning that you could not reach your destination without stopping to charge?

That part seems missing from your story.

 

[Farmer]

I have a MYLR and drive it regularly SW Boston suburbs to Aroostook County in northern Maine. I have come to know all the Superchargers along that route like the back of my hand as well as the ones still being permitted or under construction too, lol. Usually, the navigation picks the best SC stops for me northbound (Waterville, then Medway) if I'm starting out at 95% or better. Sometimes the nav aims for Augusta versus Waterville, which is 19ish miles early. Usually as I'm driving, the range improves and I override the nav and head to Waterville anyway, which is a better stop because it's a V3, 250KW unit compared to Augusta's V2, 150KW unit. (Sometimes I even exit nav and restart, then the car changes its decision to Waterville because the range estimate is then more up-to-date.) That and the snack/bathroom options are far better in Waterville. Sometimes the car will try to hold me at Waterville for a long time and then send me straight to my Houlton destination when, in reality, it is always better to charge less and then stop in Medway for 5 minutes or so. (Medway is right off 95 at a very easy, rural, even desolate interchange.) On the southbound leg the car can be even more varied as to its charging stops, often stopping me in Waterville, when it's really better to push south to Freeport or even Portland if the weather is moderate, giving better range.

I say all this to point out that the nav software doesn't always make the very best charging choices either. I can often fine tune it better. Why, for example, on my route, it sometimes tries to skip Medway on the northbound trip, is beyond me. Given this, I'm not totally surprised that the car routed you well off the highway for a supercharger. I have seen a few odd things happen from time to time. I wonder if traffic or Supercharger congestion perhaps played a part in the routing decision?

Experience will help you know when the car really needs to charge as well as help you *sometimes* second guess the car's charging choices and give you the confidence to override them.

 

[Richard__G]

My experience has been that you can press the right thumb wheel, say "Navigate to Disney world", and trust the driving directions as well as the charging times / stops.

@Richard__G - on your trip to Boston, once you missed your charging exit... did the car not reroute you to another charger and/or give you a warning that you could not reach your destination without stopping to charge?

That part seems missing from your story.

Good call. It's missing because neither happened. I still wasn't familiar enough with the car to ask for it. Basically, I panicked. I still need to learn how to plan a trip with "mandatory" charging stops built in. Any tips would be very much appreciated.