Tesla model 3 autonomous driving in heavy traffic

[mudnomad]

I can't find it anywhere...
Does a fully autonomous enabled Model 3 require any input in stop-start traffic? Or do I just sit and hold the steering wheel and it will start-go-stop repeatedly on its own?

[paradigital]

Even one without Enhanced Autopilot will stop and start in heavy traffic.

[Mr E]

Cruise will maintain gap to the car in front all the way to a stop.
Auto steer is a beta feature, and will maintain position in lane. You do have to “hold” the wheel.

I think that does what you want, full auto drive option not required

[mudnomad]

[quote
Fantastic, thank you very much.
What's the experience like of being stuck in slow moving traffic in Model 3? This is what I care more about than autonomous driving at speed, being in London.

[Mr E]

It’s crap, but because of the traffic not the car.
Lane keeping works fine. I find the car creeps pretty well, until the gap opens a bit. Then mine tends to accelerate harder than I would at the back of the car in front, and has to decelerate again more abruptly than I’d like.

It is the only car I’ve had with the feature, so other marques might do it better.

[paradigital]

mudnomad said:

Fantastic, thank you very much.
What's the experience like of being stuck in slow moving traffic in Model 3? This is what I care more about than autonomous driving at speed, being in London.

Seems fine for me in Manchester and surrounding areas. The car does it all for me and I don't tend to find that it over-accelerates, especially when in "Chill" mode.

[phil4]

Unlike Mr E I found it pretty good, but with one tweak needed. If I've got the speed set to 70mph, then yes, it does set off quite hard, and has to stop quickly as a result. However if I set the speed to 30 say (ie. it really is a slow moving set of traffic), then it sets off far more gently.

It seems to decide it's set off speed based on the target you've set.

With that small tweak it's better than in my previous VW system, which if you stopped required input again to get started, the Tesla doesn't.

[Mr E]

Ah, that’s a good observation.
My “target” speed might be quite high.
I’ll also try chill mode (I’ve never seen the point before)

[SWoll]

Mr E said:

Ah, that’s a good observation.
My “target” speed might be quite high.
I’ll also try chill mode (I’ve never seen the point before)

Yep, a lower target speed definitely helps.

Never used chill mode once in 2 years and 20k miles with our Tesla as didn't see the point, always found it a very easy car to drive slowly as well as quickly. Assuming you have any feeling in your right foot of course.

I remember talking to a chap with an M3P just before we got ours who was parked up in our local supermarket car park at the charger. He told me he drove everywhere in chill mode as the car was just too fast otherwise.

[phil4]

SWoll said:

Yep, a lower target speed definitely helps.

Never used chill mode once in 2 years and 20k miles with our Tesla as didn't see the point, always found it a very easy car to drive slowly as well as quickly. Assuming you have any feeling in your right foot of course.

Same here. Not only found it very easy to drive slowly, but also never wanted the hassle of "switching to sport mode" when needed, as inevitably it was too late. Now it's in it all the time, and can still drive along at 1mph very easily.

[Register1]

mudnomad said:

[quote
Fantastic, thank you very much.
What's the experience like of being stuck in slow moving traffic in Model 3? This is what I care more about than autonomous driving at speed, being in London.

Its great.
It will come to a complete stop, and will pick up again when the car in front moves.
You can set the distance between you and the car in front, by flicking the right thumb wheel sideways, then roll forward or back to get distances 2 to 7.