A man in Canada was caught asleep at the wheel of his self-driving Tesla when he sped past cops on the highway going over 93 miles per hour.
Authorities responded to several complaints of a Model S Tesla speeding on a high a highway near the town of Ponoka, which is located about 60 miles south of Edmonton.
The Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted police said in a statement, “The car appeared to be self-driving, traveling over 140 kph, with both front seats completely reclined and both occupants appearing to be asleep.”
Reports say that when the responding officer flashed their emergency lights at the vehicle, the smart car “automatically began to accelerate” and sped up to “exactly 150 km/h.”
The 20-year-old driver from British Columbia was charged with speeding and had his license suspended for a 24-hour period. After further investigation, the driver was also charged with dangerous driving and he was served a summons to appear in court at the end of the year.
In another incident in North Carolina, a doctor riding in his Tesla crashed into a police car because his car was on autopilot and he was distracted watching a movie on his cellphone.
Although Tesla’s Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” system has the capability to maintain a lane and avoid some obstacles, they still require the driver to stay attentive and keep their hands on the steering wheel.
Superintendent Gary Graham of Alberta RCMP Traffic Services said, “Although manufacturers of new vehicles have built-in safeguards to prevent drivers from taking advantage of the new safety systems in vehicles, those systems are just that — supplemental safety systems. They are not self-driving systems, they still come with the responsibility of driving.”
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