Police investigate after man filmed asleep at the wheel of Tesla
Viral video shows car moving alongside traffic while its driver sleeps; police say Israeli law requires drivers to hold steering wheel, even in self-driving cars
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The Israel Police on Monday said it was probing a video that went viral the day before showing a driver asleep at the wheel of a Tesla, with the car apparently driving in autopilot mode.
The video was 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. It was unclear from the video where in Israel it was filmed.
In a statement, police said the video was being examined by the Israel Police’s traffic division.
It also issued a clarification regarding driving regulations for the use of cars with self-driving technology on Israeli roads.
“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 said. “This also applies to vehicles equipped with advanced drive-assistance systems.”
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Tesla’s autopilot mode includes a traffic-aware cruise control setting, which, according 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.