Tesla driver crashes into police car after allegedly falling asleep with Autopilot engaged
A 43-year-old driver in Illinois reportedly crashed a 2022 Tesla Model Y into a parked police cruiser, claiming Autopilot was engaged and he had fallen asleep. The driver was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and failing to yield; the officer and driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
What happened
A 2022 Tesla Model Y rear-ended a Ford Explorer police cruiser that was pulled over with emergency lights flashing in South Barrington, Illinois. The driver claimed he had activated Autopilot and fallen asleep, and did not wake up in time to react.
Two police officers and the driver were transported to Ascension St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates with non-life-threatening injuries and were later released. The impact caved in the cruiser's rear end and knocked out both taillights.
Reported impact
Two police officers and the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.
Index analysis
If the driver did indeed fall asleep with Autopilot engaged, it could raise concerns about the effectiveness of Tesla's driver monitoring system. Tesla engineers are likely to analyze the Model Y to determine whether the Autopilot system was enabled at the time of collision and if its warning systems functioned as intended.
Governance controls
The 43-year-old driver was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm for carrying a loaded handgun without a valid Firearm Owner's Identification card. He was also cited for failing to yield a full lane or reduce speed when approaching an emergency vehicle and was scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court on December 3.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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