What are the shortcomings of Tesla's Autopilot?
2 Answers
It is necessary to understand that the basic Autopilot function only includes active cruise control, assisted steering, and active safety features. The Enhanced Autopilot adds features such as automatic lane changing, Autopilot navigation, automatic parking, summon function, and smart summon. Below are detailed introductions to Tesla's specific functions: Autopilot System Auto-Steering Function: As the name suggests, this function is designed to assist the driver in steering. When steering is required, the driver does not need to turn the steering wheel significantly; instead, they only need to press the turn signal button, and the Tesla vehicle will automatically steer according to the route. Additionally, it can achieve very precise vehicle redirection even in extremely poor road conditions, such as when passing through car width-restricting posts, making this function particularly useful. Especially when driving on highways, it can facilitate turning from the main road to an exit ramp, effectively avoiding the situation of missing the correct exit. Autopilot System Vertical Automatic Parking Function: Clearly, as the name implies, it differs from the conventional automatic parking function. The conventional automatic parking function, which was equipped in early Tesla models, only supports horizontal parking, meaning the car must be aligned parallel to the parking space to achieve automatic parking. However, the vertical automatic parking in Tesla's current Autopilot system has overcome this limitation, allowing for automatic parking even when the car is perpendicular to the parking space. This is undoubtedly a significant improvement.
Tesla's Autopilot is quite convenient on highways, but there are indeed safety concerns. With over a decade of driving experience, my biggest headache is its sluggish response in complex road conditions. For instance, when encountering vehicles suddenly cutting in, the system often fails to brake or steer in time, increasing the risk of minor accidents. The cameras' recognition capability declines in rainy or foggy weather, affecting the lane-keeping function. Another issue is false obstacle detection. Once, a regular car parked by the roadside was mistaken for a hazard, causing the system to slam on the brakes and giving me quite a scare. The system updates frequently, but older versions often malfunction, so you must always be ready to take over while driving. Remember, assistance can never replace human drivers, and extra caution is needed during nighttime driving.
