Police chase ensues after Tesla driver falls asleep with autopilot on

Before we leave very last year driving for good, it is value seeking back again at just one outrageous story that we nearly skipped as 2022 came to a close. In accordance to a law enforcement report from December 29th, a Tesla on Autopilot led a patrol of Bamberg traffic officers on a superior-velocity chase on Autobahn 70 (A70) after the driver experienced fallen asleep powering the wheel of the auto.

Tesla Autopilot initiates police chase

“The driver was driving on the A70 from Bamberg [a town in Germany] in the direction of Bayreuth all around 12 p.m. when the law enforcement patrol wished to subject matter him to a website traffic verify,” the report promises. “He did not respond to prevent signals or repeated horns from the officers.”

The report then says that the Tesla held the very same length from the patrol vehicle for the length of the chase. When police lastly caught up with the auto, they identified that “the Tesla driver was reclining in the seat with his eyes closed and his arms off the steering wheel.”

Ultimately, following 15 minutes of police chasing him down on the highway whilst blaring their horns, the driver woke up and pulled around. Police say the 45-year-previous person in the Tesla “showed drug-standard abnormalities,” suggesting that he was below the influence of a little something. They also assert to have found a “steering wheel weight” in the footwell, which describes how Autopilot was functioning when the driver’s palms weren’t on the steering wheel.

A steering wheel weight is an aftermarket products bought by 3rd-party stores that connects to the steering wheel and tips the car into considering your hand is on the wheel.

The report notes that a preliminary investigation into endangering highway traffic was initiated versus the Tesla driver. In the meantime, the driver has supplied up his driver’s license right until the court will make a choice. This is just the most recent in a expanding series of disturbing reviews about Tesla’s self-driving attributes and the havoc they can cause when abused.