# Pothole Detection for Model 3



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

One idea that came to me yesterday, that I think would be great, is if Tesla added this via software update to the auto assist features...

POTHOLE detection!

The radar is already being bounced under the car in front of you so why not bounce one toward the ground to detect a large pothole or crack in the road?

It could simply have a distinct sound to alert you but not actually swerve, just an assist to allow us to avoid it.

I hit a pothole yesterday and even though it was with a Honda with 138,000 miles on it I almost shed a tear.
If it was my Model 3 I would have felt like someone just punched me in the gut.

Any possibilities of Pothole Detection?

If anyone knows anyone at Tesla please pass this on


----------



## Jayc (May 19, 2016)

Okay let's say you are cruising along at 50mph in multi-lane traffic and the car shouts pot hole pot hole what will your reaction be? 

I get what you mean in principle but I guess unless it's actually a sinkhole not sure whether it could be considered significant enough to mix with the other duties that the system is responsible for.


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

Jayc said:


> Okay let's say you are cruising along at 50mph in multi-lane traffic and the car shouts pot hole pot hole what will your reaction be?
> 
> I get what you mean in principle but I guess unless it's actually a sinkhole not sure whether it could be considered significant enough to mix with the other duties that the system is responsible for.


It could just eject you out of the car to avoid the pothole 
No i get what you're saying, it would just have to be subtle enough to give a sound or alert as an option, which is sometimes just a slight steer to avoid it, or avoid most of it.
Maybe there's a below 50 zone for it or highway option, etc. 
Or maybe it only alerts for deeper or more damaging holes, which even though it doesn't happen that often it's often enough (at least where I live, especially in winter).

If it was cheap to do or just a software feature added maybe it would be worth it?

Just a thought but glad to hear the responses or other ideas to add via software updates?


----------



## @gravityrydr (Apr 12, 2016)

This is something I was thinking about the other day. As Spring comes and along with Spring flowers, potholes bloom as well.
Having ruined my share of rims and tires, AP will have to eventually have to deal with this.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Jayc said:


> Okay let's say you are cruising along at 50mph in multi-lane traffic and the car shouts pot hole pot hole what will your reaction be?


My reaction? Nothing. The car should react!


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

garsh said:


> My reaction? Nothing. The car should react!


Woah, even better! Come on Elon, you can't let Ford of all companies do this first 

The only difference is the software update would be something that can be done with little cost most likely and closer to rollout of M3? 
But yeah, if we're gonna add hardware/equipment to the car definitely we should do what's in the video! That's easy peezy for Tesla


----------



## Jayc (May 19, 2016)

Vin said:


> It could just eject you out of the car to avoid the pothole
> No i get what you're saying, it would just have to be subtle enough to give a sound or alert as an option, which is sometimes just a slight steer to avoid it, or avoid most of it.
> Maybe there's a below 50 zone for it or highway option, etc.
> Or maybe it only alerts for deeper or more damaging holes, which even though it doesn't happen that often it's often enough (at least where I live, especially in winter).
> ...


One thought that came to mind was if the system can record coordinates and a clear photo of the pothole, and we can access the data from the Tesla app, it might make it easier to claim for damages.


----------



## Gilberto Pe-Curto (Oct 20, 2016)

the problem is budget for that...


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

Gilberto Pe-Curto said:


> the problem is budget for that...


For hardware sure. If we aren't getting a HUD we aren't getting a pothole detection shock- jumping feature, however if it's software maybe we can use existing radars that are already in the M3 and even use the same radar that is already bouncing onto the ground to detect 2 cars ahead and just add to the programming "search for holes at x depth" etc. and then give an alert tone.

Not sure it that would work but if so, it's just a matter of the programmers taking the time along with other updates like 8.2 etc. so cost should be very minimal in theory.


----------



## Ode to Joy (Mar 11, 2017)

I had the same thought the other day. Pothole alerts and avoidance if possible... sort of like it doesn't pass unless it has a clear lane. It might not be able to totally avoid potholes but might slow down if given enough warning.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Michael Lee Sanner said:


> I had the same thought the other day. Pothole alerts and avoidance if possible... sort of like it doesn't pass unless it has a clear lane. It might not be able to totally avoid potholes but might slow down if given enough warning.


With fleet learning, the car could record pothole locations, allowing all additional cars & trips along that road to move to the left or right side of the lane to avoid the hole.

Tesla could also report potholes to governments, to potentially get the bad ones fixed quickly.


----------



## EVfusion (Mar 10, 2017)

Vin said:


> One idea that came to me yesterday, that I think would be great, is if Tesla added this via software update to the auto assist features...
> POTHOLE detection!


 Excellent idea Vin. As a corollary: in addition to potholes, detection of 'fallen items' would be useful. Once had some hydraulic suspension lines wiped out by a metal object that had fallen from a farm truck a few car lengths ahead of me. If programmed to measure size, AP2 could also have a response algorithm that responded appropriately. At one extreme, detecting a detached trailer or the like would trigger automatic braking (sure it does already). At the other, a small object might be ignored. But there is a decision continuum between those extremes and responses would need to vary accordingly. 
Presumably catastrophic road failure (bridge failure, land-slide etc.) is already detected by AP2 and would trigger automatic braking.
It would be interesting to know how much of this stuff is already covered and how quickly AP2 will be expanded to cover the full spectrum of appropriate human responses.


----------



## MelindaV (Apr 2, 2016)

Something like ford's stsyem would also be great for the few manhole covers on a repaved road that sit 2" below the pavement, right in the tires path, that I dodge daily


----------



## Gilberto Pe-Curto (Oct 20, 2016)

Vin said:


> For hardware sure. If we aren't getting a HUD we aren't getting a pothole detection shock- jumping feature, however if it's software maybe we can use existing radars that are already in the M3 and even use the same radar that is already bouncing onto the ground to detect 2 cars ahead and just add to the programming "search for holes at x depth" etc. and then give an alert tone.
> 
> Not sure it that would work but if so, it's just a matter of the programmers taking the time along with other updates like 8.2 etc. so cost should be very minimal in theory.


Hardware and software too.
I need to stand for my profession.
'It's hard to make good software'


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

Gilberto Pe-Curto said:


> Hardware and software too.
> I need to stand for my profession.
> 'It's hard to make good software'


No doubt. Much respect to the software side of things. My Dad was a programmer (rest his soul) and smartest person I'd ever known so I'll always have a soft spot (no pun intended) for that profession.
I have faith in Tesla to create some good stuff in all aspects of creation in the near future.


----------



## Guy Weathersby (Jun 22, 2016)

Gilberto Pe-Curto said:


> Hardware and software too.
> I need to stand for my profession.
> 'It's hard to make good software'


If the AI approach works it should not require any special programing. After enough miles it should figure out what a pothole looks like on camera and radar and that people steer around them or the car jerks when it hits the pothole. If the car cannot figure that out in a few billion miles, then autonomous driving is not going to work on these cars.


----------



## @gravityrydr (Apr 12, 2016)

Jayc said:


> Okay let's say you are cruising along at 50mph in multi-lane traffic and the car shouts pot hole pot hole what will your reaction be?


I would hope the system does what I would do and adjust the car's position in the lane, change lanes or if that's not possible to slow down to minimize the impact on the tire.


----------



## SSonnentag (Mar 30, 2017)

That pothole skipping is impressive! I wonder if active suspension could get the car to "jump" over small items in the road like a pipe or board that fell off a truck.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

SSonnentag said:


> I wonder if active suspension could get the car to "jump" over small items in the road like a pipe or board that fell off a truck.


They were doing that 25 years ago.
This entire video is pretty fascinating - feel free to start it over from the beginning. But here's the jumping part:


----------



## MelindaV (Apr 2, 2016)

garsh said:


> They were doing that 25 years ago.
> This entire video is pretty fascinating - feel free to start it over from the beginning. But here's the jumping part:


did anyone else wish that this Lexus was an orange '69 Dodge instead?


----------



## SSonnentag (Mar 30, 2017)

garsh said:


> They were doing that 25 years ago.
> This entire video is pretty fascinating - feel free to start it over from the beginning. But here's the jumping part:


Awesome! Thanks for posting that. I had no idea.


----------



## Ephraim Fithian (May 27, 2017)

The new Audi A8 has a fully active suspension and can do all of this, but probably better. OTOH the A8 is pretty expensive.


----------



## @gravityrydr (Apr 12, 2016)

garsh said:


> They were doing that 25 years ago.
> This entire video is pretty fascinating - feel free to start it over from the beginning. But here's the jumping part:


That's impressive! If active air did that I'd find the money somewhere to get it.


----------



## Bokonon (Apr 13, 2017)

Unearthing this zombie thread to note that pothole avoidance is now on the autopilot roadmap!


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1114722099623411713


----------



## iChris93 (Feb 3, 2017)

Bokonon said:


> Unearthing this zombie thread to note that pothole avoidance is now on the autopilot roadmap!
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1114722099623411713


Hahaha. I would love this feature but the car wouldn't move on many roads in Michigan as it would be the only way to avoid potholes.


----------



## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

iChris93 said:


> Hahaha. I would love this feature but the car wouldn't move on many roads in Michigan as it would be the only way to avoid potholes.


Honestly, if it can just avoid the rim-destroying monster variety of pothole, that's all we need.


----------



## iChris93 (Feb 3, 2017)

garsh said:


> Honestly, if it can just avoid the rim-destroying monster variety of pothole, that's all we need.


I've been lucky so far **knock on wood**


----------



## Madmolecule (Oct 8, 2018)

If Waze was incorporated the obstruction on road warnings could be incorporated. If drivers could you the bug report to locate and have other drivers confirm or dispute it. I also need my police warnings before I get caught demoing the acceleration


----------



## SR22pilot (Aug 16, 2018)

Madmolecule said:


> If Waze was incorporated the obstruction on road warnings could be incorporated. If drivers could you the bug report to locate and have other drivers confirm or dispute it. I also need my police warnings before I get caught demoing the acceleration


With all of the cameras on a Tesla and enough Tesla cars on the road, I vote for a Police recognition system that shares data to all other Teslas. That alone would cause people to move to Teslas. It could even be integrated into AP and slow you down when necessary.


----------



## JustTheTip (Jun 7, 2018)

No need for any of this. Just call Domino's.


----------



## JWardell (May 9, 2016)

I wonder if the extra processing that pothole avoidance would require makes it a feature that requires HW3.

Regardless I hope there is a way to turn it off, because although I really wish the car avoided potholes, my guess it it would completely refuse to drive on most of the roads around here!


----------



## kataleen (Jan 28, 2019)

Bokonon said:


> Unearthing this zombie thread to note that pothole avoidance is now on the autopilot roadmap!
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1114722099623411713


This NEEDS to happen. I was about to write a tweet about it and request it. When on autopilot, while you hold the steering wheel, there is a bit of give in it, so that the autopilot feels you have your hands on it. That give needs to be used to steer very gently the car towards the sides of the lane, up to a point, close to the divider. 
I am usually driving in HOV lanes (leftmost lanes) with wide shoulder. These HOV lanes are pretty wide and many times traffic in adjacent lanes is very slow so drivers pop their heads to the side to look forward swerving slightly over the divider. With enough space to the left, instinctively I put tension in the steering wheel to move to the left edge of the lane, but frustratingly, the car stays in the middle, quite close to the traffic.
Had this issue many times with known pot holes or other problems in lanes.
It would be an awesome feature.


----------



## Shadow LI (Aug 19, 2018)

After destroying my front passenger tire and rear passenger rim in one pothole at the same time, I need this feature. $1000 pothole expense. Ouch


----------



## hydrofied714 (Dec 13, 2018)

Can you imagine Autopilot swerving off the freeway to avoid a pothole?


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

hydrofied714 said:


> Can you imagine Autopilot swerving off the freeway to avoid a pothole?


Yes I can. Just like a human, the car should be able to handle swerving by seeing 360 degrees around itself plus radar to make sure it doesn't swerve into another car to avoid hitting a huge pothole.
Am I comfortable now with it doing that? No, but we'll see if we're a little closer to that reality on April 22nd.
Even if the car realizes it can't do a large swerve (due to cars near it), I wouldn't mind if it did a small swerve to minimize the damage if possible.
And, forgot to mention, the car should be able to detect this pothole a lot earlier than a human thus the "swerve" may be more of a gradual lane shift, unlike a panicked human.


----------



## hydrofied714 (Dec 13, 2018)

Vin said:


> Yes I can. Just like a human, the car should be able to handle swerving by seeing 360 degrees around itself plus radar to make sure it doesn't swerve into another car to avoid hitting a huge pothole.
> Am I comfortable now with it doing that? No, but we'll see if we're a little closer to that reality on April 22nd.
> Even if the car realizes it can't do a large swerve (due to cars near it), I wouldn't mind if it did a small swerve to minimize the damage if possible.


I was half-joking about swerving off the freeway  
I have a set of aftermarket wheels arriving soon so the pothole detection would be a much welcomed feature. Even if it doesn't automatically avoid the pothole but just somehow warns you that a pothole is incoming, I think that would suffice as well.


----------



## Vin (Mar 30, 2017)

hydrofied714 said:


> I was half-joking about swerving off the freeway
> I have a set of aftermarket wheels arriving soon so the pothole detection would be a much welcomed feature. Even if it doesn't automatically avoid the pothole but just somehow warns you that a pothole is incoming, I think that would suffice as well.


Yeah, I agree a warning at least would be nice, and maybe with a red image of a pothole on the car/odometer screen


----------



## hydrofied714 (Dec 13, 2018)

Vin said:


> Yeah, I agree a warning at least would be nice, and maybe with a red image of a pothole on the car/odometer screen


Yes...and have the Tesla virtual assistant announce 'Pothole Incoming"


----------

