Skip to main content

Tesla driver snoozes while Autopilot steers

“Autopilot” does not mean “no pilot.” Tesla’s Autopilot autonomous-driving system can do many things, but it still requires an attentive human at the controls. That’s an important detail that was apparently lost on this guy.

This Model S driver apparently nodded off as the car crept through traffic with Autopilot engaged. A video posted to YouTube by Electrek shows that he’s not exactly in the right condition to take the wheel should a problem arise. If this driver had fallen asleep in a regular car the result would have been an instant fender bender, at a minimum, but then again he might not have been tempted to do so if the car wasn’t equipped with Autopilot.

Recommended Videos

Numerous examples of people overestimating Autopilot’s capabilities and the near-disasters that have resulted already populate the internet. Autopilot doesn’t turn a Tesla Model S or Model X into a self-driving car, and so the driver cannot mentally check out. Tesla has said drivers should keep their hands on the wheel at all times, and remain alert.

Read more: Tesla Model S driver blames crash on Autopilot

Some Tesla drivers, however, have shown a remarkable amount of confidence in a system the company itself considers to be in the “public beta” stage. In its current form, Autopilot is primarily designed to work in dense traffic on roads with clear lane markings. Tesla plans to further improve and tweak the system with software updates, but for now its capabilities are somewhat limited.

If the system decides a human driver should take over, it will emit sounds and display visible warning messages. If the driver is literally asleep at the wheel, like the person in this video, then the car will turn on its hazard lights and attempt to maneuver to the right shoulder where it will stop. It would be interesting to see how the system would accomplish that if, say, the car was in the middle lane with heavy traffic in the right lane leaving no gap.

Self-driving cars for the everyday consumer may eventually become a reality, but for now, humans are still in charge of driving. Today’s driver aids and autonomous systems are very clever, but they are not substitutes for an attentive human at the wheel.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The base Tesla Model 3 isn’t bad, but you should probably upgrade
Tesla Model 3 Highland Front

Tesla is expanding the available options for the Model 3. Some time ago, Tesla stopped selling the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, but the company has rereleased that version of the Model 3 in the form of the new Model 3 Highland design. This expands the number of Model 3 options available to four.

There are plenty of good reasons to buy a Tesla Model 3, but one of them is most certainly the price. The base version of the Model 3 starts at $38,990 before any tax incentives or other discounts. Sure, that’s not cheap, but it does make the Model 3 one of the least expensive high-end EVs out there right now. If you’re interested in the Model 3, however, I don’t think you should buy the base model. I think you should upgrade.

Read more
The Tesla Model Y is at its lowest price yet — but should you buy one?
Tesla Model Y

Despite increased competition in the space, the Tesla Model Y is still one of the best EVs out there. It has access to the best charging network, plus it offers among the best software experiences, as well as a solid range, especially in the longer-range models. And the Model Y is now down to its lowest price yet, meaning that if you were considering getting one, now is probably the time to buy.

The base price of the Tesla Model Y is down to $42,990 at the time of this writing, which represents a pretty huge price cut. That's before any tax incentives too -- and considering the car is eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit, that means you could get it for as low as $35,490.

Read more
Fly through Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory in this epic drone video
Inside Tesla's Giga Berlin factory.

Giga Berlin Fly Through 2.0

Tesla has shared an epic fly-through video (above) shot at its Giga Berlin facility in Germany.

Read more