(Posted to Facebook on 7/3/2021)
Well, rather than give you my full thoughts all at once on all things related to my MY, I think I’ll cover one topic at a time.
Today’s topic is the Autopilot feature. I have not upgraded to Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD), and honestly, I don’t ever intend to. The base Autopilot works great and I love it. It is basically the combination of adaptive cruise control that many newer vehicles have, and lane centering, which basically steers the vehicle for you. Adding FSD gets you automatic lane changes on the highway to get around other slower cars, and door to door auto driving using the directions in the map.
In addition to likely being the safest way to drive…I like the Autopilot because it really keeps me from speeding (which is so easy to do in this car) and it probably results in a more efficient use of my battery.
What I don’t like…. You have to be very selective about the roads you enable it on. Highways are the best. It is not smart enough to avoid potholes, manhole covers, storm drains, etc…and it could be a rough ride. Highly advise not using it on any road with poor markings (old/faded). “Phantom braking” - this happens mostly on country roads…. Cruising along at the speed limit, and the cars “sees” something that isn’t there, and it rapidly decelerates. This is not cool when it happens. Shadows on the road, crosswalk marking, or a car parked on the side of the road that is sticking out just a little too far can cause this. On the HW, where it is the most useful, it has been flawless for me so far.
One more thought…. Autopilot requires light pressure on the wheel from the driver to prove the driver is paying attention. I have not quite found the sweet spot yet. I often apply too much force and that causes it to turn off the lane control….or not enough, and it starts flashing and warns me to apply a little force. I’ll figure it out eventually.
When I picked up the car, Autopilot was limited to 75 mph while they were testing the Radar-less “Tesla Vision”. The SW upgrade I received this week moved this up to 80mph…. On the PA TP, with a speed limit of 70, being able to set it at 75-80 is perfect.