How Satisfied Are You With Autopilot?

[jlucero]

i also think its great for highways, and has limited abilities elsewhere. but for a first run, its great...should get better as time goes on!

 

[Mark Z]

My referral from last year finally got the 7.0 software update this morning for his P85. After noon, we both drove with Autopilot. Good results occurred with just enough odd behavior to respect it and keep the hands on the wheel. Turning Autopilot on before a center divider caused the Model S to see the wrong side of the divider and want to turn in that wrong direction. Lesson learned.

Knowing what works and what doesn't is important. Best part of today's experience was reading and going over the details given by Tesla Motors. Teaching others and encouraging the proper use of Autopilot is a good idea to those who normally want to just "try it". Help those who have purchased a Tesla based on your recommendation, they might appreciate the extra care you provide. The original delivery specialist isn't going to be contacting them for training, so consider teaching what you know. These threads are full of lifesaving information. May everyone be careful and learn how Autopilot behaves to avoid any unpleasant experiences.

 

[Roamer]

I absolutely love using it. Amazing what it can do right out of the box. It will only get better from here. Drove 300 miles of varied highway last night. Super easy. I love that all the newly striped roads in AZ have dotted lines in front of exits. Makes it easy for auto pilot to stay locked.

 

[sillydriver]

Let me make this as simple as I can. Stop thinking like a person for a minute and think like a computer. I expected the car to misbehave during the zigzag squares. And... So it did.

I totally agree! Yesterday I wrote up a fail in another thread. But as I said then, I could see it coming because of the circumstances and was ready to grab the wheel. If you pay some attention to the information display on the dash while not using AP, it becomes pretty easy to anticipate where AP is going to have a problem, although personally I like Port Salut, Munster, Provolone, Cheddar and Brie, none of which have holes.

 

[Terra117]

I voted "satisfied".

This is a rather new technology, so its expected that there will be some flaws. I've been far more annoyed by other new automotive technologies early in their use.

My biggest problem with it is that I'm a bit of a control freak. For example, I like to position myself differently in a lane based on what's on either side of me. The AP seems to prefer crowding the right side of the lane a bit too much for my taste. I only position like that if in the rightmost lane.

I also pay close attention to the action of drivers in the cars around me. Are they distracted? Are they checking mirrors like they are planning on making a lane change? Are they holding their relative position in their lane, or drifting left and right in their lane? Are their motions fluid or jerky? Is there someone in front of me making lots of lane changes, and how are those around him reacting? Is there someone weaving their way through traffic coming up behind me? What is their likely path through traffic around me? If that yahoo does something stupid, what are my outs?

All this goes into proactively anticipating and reacting to traffic. AP is probably purely reactive. I know automatous vehicles have a vastly better record than human drivers, so reactive doesn't seem to be a detriment.

I don't know if I will be comfortable handing over control in any kind of heavy urban traffic. To any car. Ever.

That said, I have been very happy on the performance on relatively straight rural roads. I think the current implementation works well with Tesla's Supercharger philosophy - emphasis on long distance, typically rural, interstate travel.

Edit: I also constantly scan the road surface looking for debris, potholes, fluids, and this time of year especially, wet leaves. I don't know how AP would deal with these conditions, and wouldn't want to be the one to find out.

Now that I think more about it, I've had all kinds of creatures run out in front of me on the interstate. I wonder what AP would do about deer darting across the road? Yes, I know the technology is supposed to be "assist", but I think as people get comfortable with the technology, their attention to conditions will fade.

 

[Roamer]

Now that I think more about it, I've had all kinds of creatures run out in front of me on the interstate. I wonder what AP would do about deer darting across the road? Yes, I know the technology is supposed to be "assist", but I think as people get comfortable with the technology, their attention to conditions will fade.

Just did two nights of driving. i have found that now that I don't have to concentrate on the road right in front of me and spend so much effort staying centered in the lane I tend to look further down the road. An hour ago on I 15 I was flying along and spotted a large traffic cone standing almost centered in the roadway. Not something you expect to see standing in the middle of the traffic lanes. I am sure I saw it in time because I was looking far ahead rather than looking at the lane markings right in front of me. Easy maneuver to move the steering wheel which shut down auto steer then recenter in the lane and tap auto back on. I think with out auto steer I would have plowed thru the cone. It was a large cone.

 

[Beryl]

I'd like to see this poll if votes can be changed in 3 months or a new poll if they cannot. Fleet learning may positively affect the results and the end of the honeymoon may have a negative effect.

Either way, I'm thinking that when my vehicle is finally delivered next year, AP will be significantly improved.

 

[Roamer]

I'd like to see this poll if votes can be changed in 3 months or a new poll if they cannot. Fleet learning may positively affect the results and the end of the honeymoon may have a negative effect.

Either way, I'm thinking that when my vehicle is finally delivered next year, AP will be significantly improved.

It is absolutely amazing. And you are correct that it will keep getting better.