This article came at the perfect time. While waiting at the Tesla service center for my annual maintenance, I wrote this. For a very long time, I have been intrigued by autonomous driving. Living in Canada, I consider driving a necessity despite my dislike for it.
After spending $11,800, I decided to test Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot to see if any of their features would benefit me. This article provides an overview of Tesla’s software packages based on my personal perspectives on Tesla’s software.
What is Autopilot?
With Tesla vehicles, an automated driving system called Autopilot comes standard. The autosteer feature is used with traffic-aware cruise control to steer your Tesla in a clearly marked lane. It can only be used with cruise control while driving at a reasonable speed.
‘Traffic-Aware Cruise Control’ is a feature commonly found in modern cars. The autosteer disengages when the brake is applied. When you engage cruise control on your Tesla, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control adjusts its speed based on traffic around it.
I haven’t tested the Autosteer in the rain or snow, but it has been reliable in both conditions. To be honest, I have never seen my Tesla leave its lane since I bought it, and I am much better at driving than it is. Traffic-aware cruise control is often criticized for being too cautious, despite its success.
I dislike Autopilot for two reasons. Firstly, it dislikes one-lane highways that are divided into two lanes, with the left lane used for passing and the right lane used for cars not passing. Staying on course requires you to disengage, adjust lanes, and reengage autosteer. This frustration would be greatly relieved if Tesla addressed it.
On certain single-lane highways, Autopilot’s software artificially limits cruising speed to 10km/h over the speed limit regardless of the driver’s settings. I find it incredibly frustrating to be restricted in this way. If drivers are paying attention to the road and responsible for their actions, Tesla should not impose some arbitrary limit on them.
Model 3s were not initially equipped with Autopilot. Autopilot hasn’t been included with Tesla’s Model 3s since April 2019. Model 3 buyers after April 2019 probably already have Autopilot installed and may have even been using it. For a Model 3 purchased before April 2019, the upgrade will cost $4000.
How does Enhanced Autopilot work?
Does your account still have $7,800 in it? It might be a good idea for you to try Enhanced Autopilot! With enhanced Autopilot, you can navigate on autopilot, change lanes automatically, park automatically, summon and summon smartly.
This feature takes cruise control Autopilot to the next level by suggesting lane changes, activating turn signals automatically, navigating interchanges, and finding the right exit, among other features, as you drive your Tesla from an on-ramp to an off-ramp on a highway. In my opinion, the Navigate on Autopilot feature was really neat – it worked well, and it might be especially useful if you aren’t familiar with a particular area.
Auto Lane Change allows you to control whether you have to authorize a lane change, or whether it will adjust lanes automatically. Auto Lane Change is a neat concept from a conceptual standpoint. The Tesla had to speed up in order to pass the other car despite this. It is rare for my Tesla to fully commit, despite my best efforts.
The Autopark feature parks your Tesla for you, making what feels like a hundred minor adjustments, like when you park for the first time. In my intention, Autopark would help me parallel park, but it seemed to only work in parking lots with clearly marked spots; parallel parking did not work at all.
You can move your Tesla forward or backward using the Tesla app. A great feature of Summon is that it helps you park in tight spaces. As far as I am concerned, Summon isn’t worth the $7,800 price tag on Enhanced Autopilot.
As a last resort, you can use Smart Summon. When driving through complex environments, such as parking lots, Smart Summon will intelligently navigate your Tesla to you.
If you’re finished shopping on a rainy day and want to be picked up by your auto, a Tesla Smart Summon would be helpful. However, I did not find Smart Summon to be successful in my testing. It was impossible for my Tesla to locate me in an empty parking lot.
Is full self-driving possible?
A feature called Full Self-Driving (FSD) or Full Autonomous Driving will allow Tesla cars to drive themselves in the future without human intervention. Previously, Elon Musk advocated for Tesla’s FSD to be an appreciating asset someday. Tesla’s owners could generate income from idle Teslas by driving themselves as self-driving taxis. In reality, Elon Musk’s vision of FSD is far from reality.
The company is being sued for potentially misleading claims.
It will cost you $19,500 to get full self-driving. The ‘Traffic and Stop Sign Control’ feature slows your Tesla down automatically at stop signs and traffic lights. Autosteer on city streets, which will be available in the unspecified future, will allow the Tesla Model S to navigate in urban environments on its own.
Regardless of whether a driver utilizes FSD or any of the other features mentioned above, he or she should still pay full attention to the road so that he or she can intervene as necessary. To be fair, I haven’t tried fully autonomous driving yet. I include it here just to be fair. I don’t have $20,000 lying around to wait and see if FSD is improved in future updates.
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Final Thoughts
My return of Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot resulted in a refund of $11,800. Several weeks later, I repurchased Autopilot for $4,000, as I saw that it was the best value of all the programs I had. Nevertheless, I always repurchase Enhanced Autopilot. Autopilot is refundable once within 48 hours of purchase, so I knew I would keep it when I purchased it again.
Compared to Full Self-Driving, Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and Autopilot are overpriced. Cars aren’t my thing. It is enough for me to justify my interest in electric vehicles that I own a Tesla. It would be ideal if people could try before they buy, either through a subscription service or a free trial. Some people are skeptical about Tesla’s software’s ability to deliver.
Ultimately, the right software package for you will depend on your lifestyle, disposable income, and willingness to deal with less-than-perfect software. The best way to stay safe is to keep your eyes on the road.