A curious case on the A70 near Bamberg: On December 28, a 45-year-old Tesla driver with active Autopilot apparently fell asleep at the wheel while under the influence of drugs. Police tried to get the driver to stop, but Autopilot simply kept driving.
Tesla driver falls asleep, Autopilot continues
The Police of Upper Franconia were apparently astonished when they tried to pull a Tesla driver who had fallen asleep out of traffic on the A70 near Bamberg on December 28. The man showed drug-typical conspicuousness and ignored, since sleeping, several stop signals and horns by a patrol car.
The vehicle had attracted attention because it had constantly maintained the same distance from the patrol car in front at 110 kilometers per hour for over 15 minutes. The officers saw that the driver was leaning in the seat with his eyes closed and his hands were not on the steering wheel.
Only after another 15 minutes did the driver, who was driving in autopilot mode, ultimately wake up and comply with the officers’ requests.
Steering wheel weight makes Autopilot just keep running
Officials then found a so-called steering wheel weight in the footwell of the vehicle. This allows the autopilot mode of a Tesla to be tricked quite easily. It is attached to the car’s steering wheel and pretends that the driver or rider has his or her hand on the wheel.
This simply tricks the emergency stop that is normally performed if the driver does not move the steering wheel within a certain period of time in autopilot mode. That is why the manufacturers of these steering wheel weights also warn not to use them on public roads.
Charges have now been filed against the 45-year-old man for endangering road traffic. He must relinquish his driver’s license until a court decision is reached.
No replies yet
Neue Antworten laden...
Gehört zum Inventar
Beteilige dich an der Diskussion in der Basic Tutorials Community →