From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 31, 2026
Police clarify traffic laws after man spotted sleeping at wheel of self-driving Tesla
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The Israel Police have issued a clarification regarding driving regulations on Israeli roads after a video circulated online of a driver asleep at the wheel of a Tesla, with the car apparently continuing to drive in autopilot mode.
The video is filmed from the perspective of a passenger in another car, who zooms in on the Tesla and remarks, “The car is driving itself. The driver is asleep.”
“Incredible,” remarks the person behind the camera, continuing to focus on the Tesla, which appears to be keeping pace with the cars around it.
יותר בטוח מ90% מהנהגים בארץ pic.twitter.com/8dSxqfduVI
— Shem Tov Heavy (@ShemTovHeavy) August 30, 2026
In a statement, police say the video is being examined by the Israel Police’s traffic division.
“The law requires drivers to hold the steering wheel with two hands, to control the vehicle, and to be alert at any given moment,” the statement adds. “This also applies to vehicles equipped with advanced drive-assistance systems.”
Tesla’s autopilot mode includes a traffic-aware cruise control setting, which, per the electric vehicle maker’s website, “matches the speed of your vehicle to that of the surrounding traffic.”
There is also an autosteer feature, which Tesla says “assists in steering within a clearly marked lane, and uses traffic-aware cruise control.”
The autopilot mode is separate from the Tesla full self-driving capability, which is not yet available in Israel.
The Times of Israel Community.