Have AP interval 1 Closer to Car in Front

39

Description

The Autopilot interval setting allows a choice of the following distance from 1 (closest) to 5 (farthest). When very slow or stopped, and using Interval 1, move the car closer to the car in front, less than one car length.

Competitive/Pricing/Notes

To me, the #1 setting provides too much distance when sitting in traffic. I am always astonished at how much distance (2 or 3 car lengths!) some drivers put between themselves and the car in front of them or to the stop line. To me, this is a sure indication of a mind otherwise focused. I earnestly believe that one of the biggest obstacles to full self-driving will be how well the car gets along with other (impatient) drivers. At a stoplight, the car should be tight to the car ahead (2 ft?) and should start to move immediately when the car ahead moves. Otherwise, expect the horn! Finally, if Tesla thinks that a small interval is too short at speed, make the interval speed-dependent or make the #1 setting for in traffic only. I can’t be sure but I swear that when we took delivery of our MS (Dec 2017) the interval was tighter.

Status

Unknown.

lightly edited by moderator
Category: CY3XS Applies to:
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     Created 16-Apr-2019
BobD
167

8 Comments

You people are crazy. I have mine set at the maximum to make sure that I have ample space to slow down when crazies jump in front of me. Less than a car length in front? That is a recipe for a collision.
    Created 3-Nov-2023
Jack
444
This is my biggest complaint about my M3.

I cannot use TACC when in slow traffic, because it leaves so big gaps that it invites to a continuous stream of cars moving in from the slow lane, and cars behind me getting seriously annoyed.

In 2020 this was fine, my car was relatively agile when following, but this was destroyed in an update, and not made better by the Vision only update that removed distance 1.
    Created 4-Mar-2023
Fred
308
At ordinary driving speeds TACC "distance settings are actually time settings.  A setting of 1 is equivalent to a .5 second separation from the car in front of you equating to a distance that the car travels at that speed in .5 second, eg. 22 feet at 30 mph.  Each increment in the setting adds .5 seconds worth of distance.  A setting of 7 equates to a distance corresponding to 3.5 seconds.  I'm not sure what the formulation is in slow (5mph) stop and go traffic.  At 5 mph for example a car travels about 3.5 feet in .5 seconds.  That's pretty close.  It may be that Tesla alters the spacing calculation at such low speeds to increase the spacing.  If so, maybe they should adjust the current algorithm to be a little less conservative.
    Created 6-Oct-2019
fonguy
1,373
I agree that the car leaves way too much space when at a standstill. If everyone leaves that much space, traffic jams become twice as long and cars near the end of the jam have to needlessly wait before being able to take their exit.

This is the only reason I don't use autopilot in traffic jams. I would love to, because it's really convenient and relaxing, but I just can't stand leaving such a huge gap. People should be fined for wasting so much asphalt.
    Created 10-Jul-2019
If the number 1 setting is not close enough for your driving situation then simply activate or deactivate TACC as needed.
    Created 3-Jul-2019
I agree.  Way too often with AP distance set to 1, people keep cutting in front of the car causing the Auto Pilot to react in a fairly abrupt manner. Being able to set this distance another car-length closer (or 2) would prevent these cuts.
    Created 21-Jun-2019
Add an option 1/2 car length separation for when traffic is at less than 10 mph.
    Created 2-May-2019
I sometimes get honked at by the vehicle behind me when my M3 does not speed up quickly enough when the car ahead starts moving.
    Created 1-May-2019