Autopilot kept a Tesla Model 3 in its lane on every IIHS curve trial

In IIHS road tests published in 2018, only the Tesla Model 3 with Autopilot stayed in its lane in all 18 curve trials. It also slowed down unexpectedly 12 times in 180 miles.

  • Not rated a person

    IIHS measured the system in road and track tests, and no crash outcome for drivers or passengers is reported.

Depth runs from 1, a convenience or time saved, to 5, a life or a livelihood preserved.

Status
Reported benefit.
Evidence

foundstudiedreportedclaimed

An independent assessment report supports the benefit.

Compared with

The four other Level 2 systems in the same IIHS curve trials. Measured.

Without the system
The Model S crossed the line in one trial. The E-Class stayed within the lane in 9 of 17 runs, the 5 series in 3 of 16 trials and the S90 in 9 of 17 runs
With it
The Model 3 stayed within the lane on all 18 trials
The system’s part
Not isolated. IIHS compared Autopilot on the Model 3 with four other systems in the same trials and ran no lane-keeping trial without a system. It describes lane-keeping systems that rely on seeing road markings but does not describe machine learning or show that Autopilot learns from data.
Not yet checked
LimitsCosts and harmsLearns from dataLater outcome

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Benefit type
Increased Product Safety
System
Autopilot, as fitted to the 2018 Tesla Model 3
Made by
Tesla
Used by
Tesla (fitted to the 2018 Model 3)
Where
Central Virginia, United States
Stage
In routine use
Date
, when the source was published
Kind
Aggregate result
Broad benefit
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Collections
Scrutiny and findings
Last revised
31 October 2026

Sources

  1. Assessment report, by authors with no tie to the system.

    Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Road, track tests to help IIHS craft ratings program for driver assistance features. Status Report Vol. 53, No. 4, 7 August 2018, pp. 2-4.

    To test active lane-keeping on curves, engineers conducted six trials with each vehicle on three different sections of road with radii ranging from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. Only the Model 3 stayed within the lane on all 18 trials.

Details

AI system

Reported configuration

Software version 8.1 (as tested by IIHS)

Workflow

Engineers ran six trials with each vehicle on three road sections with radii from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. The lane-keeping tests ran on open roads with no other vehicles around. The Model 3 ran Autopilot software version 8.1.

Follow-up

Conditions for replication

The driver keeps holding the wheel, since active lane-keeping only assists with steering. The driver stays ready to brake, since adaptive cruise control may not react to vehicles that are already stopped. Lane markings stay in view, since the systems rely on seeing them and lose them at hill crests.

Entry details

Sector

Road vehicle crash avoidance / assisted driving.

Purpose

Tesla built Autopilot to hold a set speed and following distance and to steer the car within its lane while the driver keeps hold of the wheel.

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Cite this record

Peter H. Vartanian. (2026). Autopilot kept a Tesla Model 3 in its lane on every IIHS curve trial (AIBD-0934). Artificial Intelligence Benefits Database, edition of 1 November 2026. https://petervartanian.xyz/aibd/records/AIBD-0934.html (archived at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/AADSII, version 7.0)

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