Terrifying video shows elderly Tesla driver AND passenger both asleep in car as it barrels down California freeway
Shocking video footage showed an elderly man falling into a deep sleep behind the wheel of his Tesla as it sped along a California highway.
To make matters worse, there was also an elderly woman in the passenger seat who had fallen asleep during the ride, according to the clip obtained by KRON 4.
The witness, who captured the video and sent it to the news station, said the incident happened Sunday afternoon on Highway 4 in the Bay Area city of Pittsburg.
The sedan, a Tesla Model 3, appears to be on autopilot or ‘Full Self-Driving’ mode, two features that this model has.
Tesla Autopilot is intended to be used on the highway. When activated, this feature provides cruise control that adjusts according to lane centering and traffic. More importantly, this does not mean that the car is fully autonomous.
Fully Self-Driving is an upgrade that Tesla owners have to pay for, and it’s for urban driving that requires turns, stopping at traffic lights, and navigation.
According to Tesla rules, both modes should only be used if the driver is fully attentive and can take over the steering at any time.
As self-driving becomes more common, cases of people falling asleep while riding in Tesla vehicles have also become more common.
Image: An elderly man and woman are seen speeding towards Highway 4 in the front two seats of their Tesla Model 3 in the Bay Area city of Pittsburg on Sunday afternoon.
Video of the incident was sent to KRON 4. Instances of people sleeping while letting Tesla vehicles drive have become more common
On the afternoon of March 1, a female Tesla driver was seen sleeping behind the wheel on the 10 Freeway in Colton near San Bernardino.
Like this last incident, someone recorded it as it was unfolding. That person immediately called the police.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol were dispatched to the area, but were unable to locate the driver.
A video that went viral late last year captured another person asleep in the driver’s seat of a red Tesla.
Published images redditHe saw the driver driving on the highway around 14:00 on August 22. In the clip, the sleeping driver also appears to have a neck pillow behind his head.
Others acted more brazenly. In May 2021, Param Sharma was arrested in Oakland, California, for sitting in the backseat of a Tesla Model 3 while driving.
The California Highway Patrol was alerted to Sharma’s movements after someone posted a video showing him doing the same thing.
The then-25-year-old showed no remorse and said in an interview that he thought it was safer for him to take a backseat.
