Hey there, aspiring Tesla enthusiast! Ready to experience a new level of driving convenience? Putting your Tesla on Autopilot is a fantastic way to ease your driving burden on highways and well-marked roads. However, it's crucial to remember that Autopilot is a driver-assistance system, not a fully autonomous one. You must remain attentive, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and be ready to take control at all times. Let's dive in!
Step 1: Understand What Autopilot Is (and Isn't!)
Before you even think about engaging Autopilot, it's vital to grasp what it does and what its limitations are. Think of Autopilot as your intelligent co-pilot, not a replacement for you.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC): This feature maintains your set speed and an adjustable following distance from the vehicle in front of you. It will automatically accelerate and decelerate to match traffic flow, even coming to a complete stop and resuming.
Autosteer: This builds upon TACC by actively assisting with steering to keep your Tesla centered within a clearly marked lane. It uses cameras and sensors to detect lane markings and other vehicles.
It's important to differentiate Autopilot from "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)" (FSD), which is an optional upgrade offering more advanced features like navigating city streets, responding to traffic lights and stop signs, and automatic lane changes. This guide focuses on the standard Autopilot features.
Step 2: Prepare Your Tesla for Autopilot Activation ️
A few checks and settings are essential before you engage Autopilot.
Sub-heading: Ensure Clear Camera Vision ️
Your Tesla's Autopilot system relies heavily on its cameras. Before every drive, especially if you plan to use Autopilot, ensure all cameras are clean and free from obstructions like dirt, snow, or ice. Dirty cameras can significantly impair performance.
Sub-heading: Customize Your Autopilot Settings ⚙️
You can fine-tune how Autopilot behaves via your Tesla's touchscreen:
Navigate to Controls > Autopilot.
Set Speed: Choose whether Autopilot engages at the currently detected speed limit or your current driving speed. You can also specify an offset (fixed amount or percentage) if you choose "Speed Limit."
Autopilot Activation: This is a crucial setting.
Single Click: If set to Single Click, a single press of the right scroll button (or pulling the gear stalk down once on older models) will engage both Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer.
Double Click: If set to Double Click, you must double-press the right scroll button (or pull the gear stalk down twice on older models) to engage Autosteer. This option allows you to use Traffic-Aware Cruise Control independently.
For beginners, it's often recommended to start with the "Double Click" setting for Autopilot Activation so you can get comfortable with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control first.
Step 3: Engaging Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC)
TACC is the foundation of Autopilot. It manages your speed and following distance.
Sub-heading: How to Activate TACC
Drive at a safe speed: TACC can be activated at lower speeds if a vehicle is detected in front of you.
Observe the display: When TACC is available, a gray circle with a speed limit number will appear to the right of your speedometer (or at the top of the central display on Model 3/Y).
Engage:
For Model 3 and Model Y: Gently pull the gear selector stalk (on the right-hand side of the steering wheel) down once.
For Model S and Model X (newer models with scroll wheel activation): Press in on the right scroll wheel once.
For Model S and Model X (older models with dedicated stalk): Pull the cruise control stalk (on the left of the steering column) down once.
Confirmation: You'll hear a single beep, and the gray circle/speed number on your display will turn blue, indicating TACC is engaged.
Sub-heading: Adjusting Speed and Following Distance ↔️
Once TACC is active:
Adjust Speed: Roll the right scroll wheel on your steering wheel up or down to increase or decrease your set speed.
Adjust Following Distance: Push the right scroll wheel on your steering wheel to the right or left to adjust the distance your Tesla maintains from the car in front. You'll see a visual representation of this change on your screen.
Step 4: Engaging Autosteer (The "Auto" in Autopilot) ️
Autosteer adds lane-keeping capabilities.
Sub-heading: Activating Autosteer
Ensure TACC is active: Autosteer works in conjunction with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
Look for the gray steering wheel icon: When Autosteer is available, a gray steering wheel icon will appear next to the TACC circle on your display.
Engage:
For Model 3 and Model Y: Gently pull the gear selector stalk down twice in quick succession.
For Model S and Model X (newer models with scroll wheel activation): Press in on the right scroll wheel twice in quick succession.
For Model S and Model X (older models with dedicated stalk): Pull the cruise control stalk down twice in quick succession.
Confirmation: You'll hear two beeps, and the steering wheel icon on your display will turn blue, signifying Autosteer is engaged. The lane lines on your visualization will also turn blue.
Sub-heading: Maintaining Driver Attention ✈️
This is paramount! While Autosteer is active, your Tesla will regularly prompt you to apply slight torque to the steering wheel to confirm you're attentive.
If you don't provide this input, you'll receive escalating audible and visual warnings.
Repeatedly ignoring these warnings will lead to Autopilot being locked out for the remainder of your drive.
Step 5: Disengaging Autopilot
Knowing how to disengage Autopilot quickly is as important as knowing how to engage it.
Sub-heading: Quick Disengagement Methods
There are several ways to disengage Autopilot:
Apply the brakes: Gently press the brake pedal. This will disengage both Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
Steer manually: Apply a slight turning force to the steering wheel. This will disengage Autosteer while leaving Traffic-Aware Cruise Control active (if your Autopilot Activation setting is "Double Click"). A more significant steering input will disengage both.
Use the stalk/scroll wheel:
For Model 3 and Model Y: Push the gear selector stalk up once.
For Model S and Model X (newer models): Press the right scroll wheel once.
For Model S and Model X (older models): Push the cruise control stalk up once.
Step 6: Advanced Autopilot Features (if applicable) ✨
If you have Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) packages, you'll have access to additional features.
Sub-heading: Auto Lane Change (Enhanced Autopilot/FSD)
With Autosteer active, you can initiate an automatic lane change:
Enable Auto Lane Change: Go to Controls > Autopilot and ensure "Auto Lane Change" is enabled.
Check surroundings: Always check your mirrors and blind spots for a clear path.
Activate turn signal: Activate your turn signal in the direction you wish to change lanes. Your Tesla will then, with your supervision, automatically move into the adjacent lane.
Sub-heading: Navigate on Autopilot (Enhanced Autopilot/FSD) ️
This feature actively guides your Tesla from a highway's on-ramp to off-ramp, including lane changes and navigating interchanges.
Enable Navigate on Autopilot: Go to Controls > Autopilot > Navigate on Autopilot (Beta) and enable it. You can also customize its behavior.
Set a destination: Enter a destination in your navigation system.
Engage Autosteer: Once engaged, if Navigate on Autopilot is available for your route, it will become active. You'll see a blue line representing your driving lane on the display.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to ensure Autopilot is safe to use?
Always stay attentive, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and be prepared to take over at any moment. Understand its limitations and use it only on appropriate roads (highways with clear lane markings).
How to tell if Autopilot is engaged?
You'll hear one or two beeps (depending on which feature you engage), and the steering wheel icon and/or the speed/lane lines on your display will turn blue.
How to adjust my speed with Autopilot on?
Roll the right scroll wheel on your steering wheel up or down to increase or decrease your set speed.
How to change the following distance from the car in front?
Push the right scroll wheel on your steering wheel to the right or left while TACC is active.
How to quickly disengage Autopilot?
Gently press the brake pedal, apply a slight turning force to the steering wheel, or push the gear selector/cruise control stalk up once.
How to use Autopilot for automatic lane changes?
With Autosteer active and "Auto Lane Change" enabled in settings, simply activate your turn signal after checking your surroundings for a clear path.
How to enable "Navigate on Autopilot"?
Go to Controls > Autopilot > Navigate on Autopilot (Beta) and ensure it's enabled. You'll also need a destination set in navigation.
How to avoid Autopilot disengaging due to lack of attention?
Regularly apply slight torque to the steering wheel as prompted by the vehicle. The cabin camera also monitors driver attentiveness.
How to know if my Tesla has Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised)?
You can check your vehicle's software configuration on the touchscreen by going to Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information.
How to clean the cameras for optimal Autopilot performance?
Use a soft, damp cloth to wipe the camera lenses located around your vehicle (e.g., side repeaters, front camera behind the rearview mirror).
Learn more about Autopilot features and how they work in this video:
