Tesla Stops Itself

A recent software update (2020.12.6) for my Model 3 has added the capability for the car to stop itself at stop lights and stop signs. Actually, for traffic light controls it currently slows down for all lights; red, yellow, green, but I can signal for it to continue thru green lights in advance of it slowing to a complete stop. (a later update allows the car to follow other cars through green lights without driver interaction) Once a red light changes to green, pushing down on the control stalk or pressing the accelerator (intuitively) signals to the car to continue on, up to the speed limit of the road.

Some people find this annoying (always telling the car to go ahead), but what Tesla owners are all doing collectively is training a neural net so that all conditions for these traffic controls can be trained into the neural net. What is also annoying is the other drivers… my car is doing the speed limit of the road throughout all of this, and everyone is honking and speeding by me, at least by 5 mph, often higher. IF I’m in the right lane, what is it that allows you as a fellow driver, concerned for your and my safety, to be so insistent that honking to “get out of the way” in the right lane is the correct behavior?

If you have indicated to go ahead and a light changes from green to yellow to red, then the car will instead stop itself. And, if you are behind another car, just like before, the car will keep it’s follow distance from that car.

The technology involved here, I believe, is outstanding. Eventually, for a full self driving capability, this training will not be necessary, but right now it’s a beta version of stopping for traffic controls and it does the job. Of course, as the operator of the vehicle, you still have to keep your hand on the wheel and be ready to take over if something unforeseen occurs.