Tesla driver filmed asleep at wheel on Sydney motorway
A video circulated online showing a Tesla driver apparently asleep at the wheel on a busy Sydney motorway with his hands off the steering wheel while the vehicle operated. The incident illustrates how some drivers misuse semi-autonomous vehicle systems by treating them as fully autonomous without maintaining required human supervision.
What happened
A video shared by TikTok creator Luke Bandiera showed a Tesla driver on Sydney's M2 Motorway with his head tilted back, eyes closed, and hands not on the steering wheel while the vehicle continued moving. Several seconds later, the driver opened his eyes, noticed he was being filmed, and placed his hands back on the wheel.
Reported impact
The incident highlighted how some drivers have become overly comfortable with Tesla's driver-assistance systems, despite the systems requiring active human supervision.
Index analysis
The video raised concerns about driver misuse of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle systems, with observers noting that Full Self-Driving, despite its name, still requires active human supervision. The incident demonstrated a pattern in which drivers treat driver-assistance systems as if they were fully autonomous chauffeurs.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.