If there is one singular thing Tesla has been criticized for in 2021; that should be the deficiency of the Autopilot technology. The truth is: the system is not faulty but the people using it seem not to understand its working principle. It assists the driver on the road and not to take over the entirety of the driving duty. The drivers are expected to pay rapt attention even when engaging this driving tech. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with this man that slept off behind the wheel.
The 38-year-old Tesla driver was pulled over for falling asleep while on the road
David Gomez, what happens to be the Kenosha County deputy, got a call on Sunday morning to be on the lookout for a particular Tesla Model 3 moving down the freeway with what looked like a sleeping driver in it. The officer spotted the EV, travelling at 82 mph and decided to chase it down.
>>> See also: Autopilot in fresh trouble as Tesla car crashes into parked police vehicle
The officer followed the Tesla car for more than 2 miles, all the while switching the tone and pitch of the siren on his patrol vehicle. It was at the time when he almost caught up with the Tesla Model 3 that the driver woke up from sleep and pulled the car to the roadside. It was reported that Gomez approached the 38-year-old driver, where he claimed he was on his way to his workplace at FedEx. The driver denied sleeping behind the wheel, claiming the Autopilot technology requires the drivers to put their hands on the steering wheel.
Watch the clip here:
Tesla driver charged with being asleep behind wheel
The officer revealed that this shocking incident wasn't the first time such would happen in the area. According to him, 2 attempts were made to pull a vehicle, where the person behind the wheel was deeply asleep while the car was moving on its own down the road. The 38-year-old driver found recently asleep behind the wheel didn't get any tickets for speeding, but was slammed with a $187 citation for driving without paying attention. His car was also towed as the officer didn't find him deemed fit to continue driving.
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