Since getting the M3 last year, I have periodically gotten "false" alarms from the collision avoidance system. I don't have autopilot, and have collision detection set to the default of "Medium." M3 has firmware version 2019.16.2.
These alarms normally occur around curves on streets without lane makings, when approaching parked cars, but occasionally occur when (safely, from my perspective) approaching a stopped car on a straight, fully marked road.
These events have resulted in nothing more than a startling alarm, and I have considered it a small price to pay for potentially avoiding an accident. Until today.
This morning I was rounding a curve on a three lane, well marked road (40 MPH speed limit). Two semis occupied the two oncoming lanes. The closest truck was about a foot or so within its lane, and definitely not crossing into oncoming traffic.
The collision alert sounded, but this time the car moderately swerved into the narrow bike lane to the right of my single lane, and a "Collision avoidance activated" (or similar) message briefly appeared. I was able to wrest control back, and return to my lane.
I believe the following statements are accurate:
1) The M3 falsely perceived an imminent collision. All vehicles were well within their lanes, and no threat existed.
2) The M3 responded to this misperception by moderately (not aggressively) swerving the car out of its lane, into a narrow bike lane.
3) From examining the Autopilot menu settings, I don't see a way of turning off the side collision avoidance behavior. If there's not a way, I own a car that has faulty situational awareness, and could take control of the steering at any time based on incorrect conclusions, without prior warning.
A shower of "what if's" come to mind, such as:
1) Can the M3 can reliably detect people or bicycles? If it cannot, there's an obvious problem with the above behavior. It's poor etiquette to run over a bicyclist to avoid a collision with another "exoskeletal" vehicle, IMO.
2) Will the car be able to reliably detect situations where there is no shoulder? Or will it swerve into the ditch, or worse?
I'm a bit shaken by this event, and would love feedback! I did a verbal "bug report" after the incident happened, and saved the video footage, which I reviewed to confirm my recollection of the events.
These alarms normally occur around curves on streets without lane makings, when approaching parked cars, but occasionally occur when (safely, from my perspective) approaching a stopped car on a straight, fully marked road.
These events have resulted in nothing more than a startling alarm, and I have considered it a small price to pay for potentially avoiding an accident. Until today.
This morning I was rounding a curve on a three lane, well marked road (40 MPH speed limit). Two semis occupied the two oncoming lanes. The closest truck was about a foot or so within its lane, and definitely not crossing into oncoming traffic.
The collision alert sounded, but this time the car moderately swerved into the narrow bike lane to the right of my single lane, and a "Collision avoidance activated" (or similar) message briefly appeared. I was able to wrest control back, and return to my lane.
I believe the following statements are accurate:
1) The M3 falsely perceived an imminent collision. All vehicles were well within their lanes, and no threat existed.
2) The M3 responded to this misperception by moderately (not aggressively) swerving the car out of its lane, into a narrow bike lane.
3) From examining the Autopilot menu settings, I don't see a way of turning off the side collision avoidance behavior. If there's not a way, I own a car that has faulty situational awareness, and could take control of the steering at any time based on incorrect conclusions, without prior warning.
A shower of "what if's" come to mind, such as:
1) Can the M3 can reliably detect people or bicycles? If it cannot, there's an obvious problem with the above behavior. It's poor etiquette to run over a bicyclist to avoid a collision with another "exoskeletal" vehicle, IMO.
2) Will the car be able to reliably detect situations where there is no shoulder? Or will it swerve into the ditch, or worse?
I'm a bit shaken by this event, and would love feedback! I did a verbal "bug report" after the incident happened, and saved the video footage, which I reviewed to confirm my recollection of the events.