Video Shows Tesla Driver Apparently Sleeping While Car On Autopilot
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A video has surfaced of a Tesla driver who may have been sleeping while the electric car was in Autopilot.
According to Electrek, which covers the electric car industry, the video apparently shows the driver of a blue Model S with his head to the side and eyes closed while the car was keeping up in traffic.
Electrek could not independently verify the video's authenticity.
Released last year, Autopilot allows a Tesla to automatically steer, change lanes and adjust speed due to traffic conditions. The system requires a driver to keep their hands on the wheel and the system will warn a driver if they do not. Tesla stresses that the driver is ultimately responsible for controlling the vehicle and will be held liable in the event of a crash.
Autopilot is available Model S sedans built after September 2014 and all Model X SUVs.
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Since the introduction of Autopilot, Tesla has also unveiled "Summon," another autonomous driving feature in which a driver can park their car in a garage or tight parking space without being behind the wheel.
Tesla, based in Palo Alto, has grander ambitions for autonomous driving, including fully driverless vehicles. "Eventually, your Tesla will be able to drive anywhere across the country to meet you, charging itself along the way. It will sync with your calendar to know exactly when to arrive," the automaker said in a blog post earlier this year.
