B.C. Tesla driver fined for appearing asleep while using self-driving mode
A 37-year-old woman from Metro Vancouver was pulled over by B.C. Highway Patrol on March 17, 2026, while operating a Tesla with her eyes closed and arms crossed during rainy rush-hour traffic. She was fined for driving without due care and attention and speeding; police stated in-car video did not support her claim of being alert.
What happened
An officer with the B.C. Highway Patrol spotted a Tesla driver eastbound on the Trans-Canada Highway during morning rush hour on March 17, 2026, with her eyes closed and arms crossed while the vehicle was in self-driving mode.
The driver reported that she had 'zoned out' but claimed to be fully alert with her hands on the steering wheel. In-car police video did not support the driver's account. Road conditions were rainy and slippery at the time.
Reported impact
The driver, a 37-year-old woman from Metro Vancouver, was issued a $368 ticket for driving without due care and attention and an additional $138 fine for speeding.
Index analysis
B.C. Highway Patrol emphasized that self-driving features are illegal to use on provincial roadways and that drivers must remain 'fully awake, alert, focused, and in control of your vehicle at all times.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.