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Police chase Tesla on autopilot while driver sleeps
A 45-year-old German man led Bamberg police on a 15-minute chase after falling asleep in an auto-piloted Tesla. The officers pursued him, issuing multiple stop signals but the driver failed to recognize them. The vehicle was going approximately 110 kilometers per hour, which is about 68.3 miles per hour.
After noticing the car kept the same speed and distance, the officers realized the driver was not active behind the wheel. They finally caught up to the man to find his seat reclined, eyes closed and no hands on the steering wheel.
Thankfully, the driver became conscious 15 minutes into the chase and immediately stopped his vehicle to comply with the officers.
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The police found a “steering wheel weight in the footwell” of the driver’s seat. This device is used unlawfully to trick Tesla’s safety system into continuing autopilot when it requires a driver to have their hands on the wheel.
According to a police statement:
The driver was traveling around 12 noon on the A70 from Bamberg in the direction of Bayreuth when the police patrol wanted to subject him to traffic control. He did not react to stop signals or to multiple horns of the officials. (translated by Safari)
The driver was also found to be under the influence of narcotics following a checkup conducted by the police. His driver’s license is in police custody until he appears in court for endangering road traffic.
This is not the first time a similar situation has occurred involving the autopilot feature. Moreover, the Texas-based company has been very clear in their objection to such actions. According to Tesla’s FAQ page, “Autopilot is a hands-on driver assistance system that is intended to be used only with a fully attentive driver. It does not turn a Tesla into a self-driving car nor does it make a car autonomous.”
