Tesla Improves Automatic Emergency Braking With Update

Tesla will introduce an enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking in the latest FSD Beta, v11.3

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Tesla is introducing improvements to its Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system that goes beyond the standard AEB functionality. This new system includes the ability to detect and respond to vehicles that are not only in front of the car but ones that cross the car's path.

AEB is an important safety feature that can help reduce the risk of accidents and save road life. The system uses sensors and cameras to monitor the road ahead and identify potential obstacles, including other vehicles, pedestrians, and objects. When the system detects that a collision is about to occur, it will warn the driver with visual and/or audible alerts. If the driver does not respond, it will apply the brakes automatically to slow down or stop the vehicle.

How Tesla is Advancing AEB

Tesla's improvements to Automatic Emergency Braking system go beyond the standard AEB functionality, adding the ability to detect and react to vehicles that cross the car's path or "steals the right of way," such as a vehicle that runs a red light or cuts off the Tesla. According to Tesla, nearly half of the collisions of this nature would be avoided with this newly expanded system. From Tesla's release notes in the upcoming FSD Beta v11.3, Tesla states:

Expanded Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) to handle vehicles that cross ego's path. This includes cases where other vehicles run their red light or turn across ego's path, stealing the right-of-way. Replay of previous collisions of this type suggests that 49% of the events would be mitigated by the new behavior. This improvement is now active in both manual driving and autopilot operation.

While the latest update has not gone out to the public, we have seen countless examples of Teslas already reacting to vehicles that turn in front of or swerve in front of them.

History of AEB

Automatic Emergency Braking is a safety technology that has been around since the mid-2000s and has become an increasingly common feature in newer vehicles. AEB is also known by other names, such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) on Honda vehicles and Active Brake Assist on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Bosch and Volvo were among the early pioneers in the field.

Bosch introduced its Predictive Safety System in 2006, and Volvo launched its City Safety system in 2008. Since then, many other car manufacturers and technology companies have developed their AEB systems, incorporating a range of sensors, algorithms, and machine learning techniques to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of the technology.

Learnings From FSD Beta

The AEB advancement is listed in the most recent FSD Beta release notes, v11.3. However, the upgraded system will respond in FSD or with all Autopilot features off. This is a significant safety advancement that Tesla will be providing, free of charge, during the next major over-the-air update for FSD Beta users.

Tesla is clearly taking everything it's learning from FSD Beta and its improved vision system and applying it to other areas, much like how it introduced Auto Cancel turn signals. With Auto Cancel Turn Signals, Tesla learned when to turn off your turn signal with its FSD Beta progress, and now you have the option to let the vehicle to turn off your turn signal for you after switching lanes

Improved AEB for All?

FSD Beta currently remains on a separate track from Tesla's other updates, which means not everyone will get the improvements to AEB, at least initially. Given Tesla's history with safety features, we expect that Tesla will eventually add this feature to non-FSD Beta builds or merge FSD and non-FSD builds so that all owners have access to the improved Automatic Emergency Braking.

It's already been shown that Teslas on Autopilot are ten times safer than human drivers and 2.5 times safer with Autopilot disengaged. It's due to features like this that continue to make the safest car on the planet even safer.

A Closer Look at Tesla's Ambient Lighting Feature in the New Model 3 and Cybertruck [Video]

Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3

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If you look up ambient lights for Tesla, you'll see several ads for third-party light kits. Perhaps this is why Tesla added its own Ambient Lights feature to the new Model 3. So, let's get enlightened.

Tesla's ambient lights are thin light strips that are embedded in each of the vehicle's doors near the top edge. It also curves around the dashboard near the windshield, giving passengers a near 360-degree light effect.

Supported Models

Tesla new ambient light feature is available on the new Model 3 (2024+), and will be available on the Cybertruck in a similar manner. With a refresh ongoing for the Model Y, known as Juniper, it will likely also have ambient lights. That just leaves out the most luxurious flagship vehicles, the Model S and X, for now.

The Model S and Model X could be due for a minor refresh that would not only add ambient lighting, but also include a front-bumper camera that the Cybertruck has and the new Model 3 is expected to have in the near future.

Customization

Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3

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The ambient light settings allow you to light up the interior in a color that reflects your mood or preference. Under Controls > Lights > Accent Lights, you are handed the freedom to choose virtually any color to adorn the interior of your Tesla.

You have control over whether the ambient lights are on, off, or set to an "Auto" setting, though not fully clarified, seems to promise intelligent lighting adjustments akin to our control over dome lights, offering a reduction in reflections during drives.

While the ability to control the brightness level seems missing, Tesla did include color presets, letting you curate a series of your favorite colors.

It should be noted that the changes are confined to the light strips on the doors and dash, steering clear of the footwell lights and other interior lighting.

Future Enhancements

With Tesla, we can be assured there will be enhancements to this feature in a future update. In fact, the Tesla community is already busy coming up with useful suggestions. Some owners thought Tesla should take advantage of the lighting to provide driver feedback, such as automatically changing the ambient lighting to a red hue when there's a vehicle in your blind spot. Tesla could also glow the light strip on a door if it's not closed properly, or use the lighting to provide feedback when Sentry Mode is enabled.

Other uses could be more fun, such as cycling the light through various colors when the 'Rainbow Road' easter egg is activated.

Ambient Lighting in Action

While the possibilities are endless and Tesla engineers will surely have fun coming up with creative uses for the feature, the biggest improvement we can hope for in the near future is the ability to adjust the light intensity.

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Tesla Model 3 'Highland' Performance Details Discovered in European Documents

Tesla's new Model 3 received a host of exterior and interior upgrades

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Tesla outdid itself with the refreshed Model 3, known as the Highland. Despite all the fantastic upgrades, something is missing - the Performance version or perhaps the Plaid. The letter "T" has shown up on vehicle certificates in Europe, and despite Elon Musk's sense of humor, it is unlikely this is a Mr. T reference.

Deciphering the 'T'

A new document shows the new Model 3 Performance will have a dual motor

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Diligent scrutiny of the European Type Certificate, issued by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW and shared on the TFF Forum, revealed a subtle yet pivotal alteration — including the letter 'T' in the eighth digit of the Model 3 Performance's VIN.

This seemingly minor detail, indicative of the vehicle's motor/drive unit type, sparked curiosity and speculation on the forum. Could it be a tri-motor setup to usher in a new Plaid version of the Model 3? This vehicle has already got endless amounts of zip, but three motors? May The Schwartz Be With You!

This could also explain the Model 3+ badging that was spotted during the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China inspection of the refresh. However, the regulatory filings highlighted just two distinct variants of the car: a rear-wheel drive (RWD) with a 194 kW motor and an all-wheel drive (AWD) dual-motor setup that combines to deliver a formidable 331 kW of maximum power.

Initial conjectures leaned towards the possibility of a tri-motor setup, drawing parallels with the Plaid variants of the Model S and Model X. However, a deeper dive into the certification document clarified that the Model 3 Performance retained its Dual Motor setup, dispelling the possibility of a tri-motor upgrade.

Strategic Enhancements: A Glimpse into Potential Upgrades

Given the documented specifications, it becomes plausible that Tesla has strategically enhanced one of the dual motors, potentially aligning it with the advanced motor found in the Model S/X Plaid. This modification is poised to augment the top-end speed and acceleration of the Model 3 Performance, addressing its comparative limitations in extended races against traditional gas-powered supercars.

Meanwhile, the Model 3 refresh has become the new Bigfoot of the roads of North America, with rare sightings posted on social media. However, it appears the continent is excluded from the initial launch of the Model 3 Highland. Internal communications within Tesla suggest North American enthusiasts might have to exercise patience until 2024.

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