Add The California Post on Google A California Tesla driver apparently decided his commute was the perfect time to catch some shut-eye, allegedly snoozing behind the wheel while the car barreled down the highway at 60 mph.
The brazen motorist was spotted slumped over behind dark sunglasses while traveling through Solano County with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature engaged, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A CHP motorcycle officer noticed the seemingly sleeping driver cruising along the highway and quickly pulled the Tesla over.
View this post on Instagram The driver was slapped with a citation for unsafe speed and given a roadside lesson about why “Full Self-Driving” doesn’t mean drivers can check out completely, authorities said.
“Power naps belong in a parking spot, not in the driver’s seat,” CHP quipped in a social media post about the bizarre bust.
Despite its name, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system is designed to assist motorists rather than replace them behind the wheel. Drivers are still expected to remain attentive and ready to take control of the vehicle.
CHP stressed that turning on driver-assistance technology does not give motorists a legal green light to nap while their car is moving.
“Features like Tesla’s FSD are Level 2 driver assistance tools,” the agency said. “By law, they assist your driving — they do not replace you.”
The sleepy Solano County motorist is hardly the first Tesla driver allegedly caught treating the driver’s seat like a bed.
In May, a Tesla Cybertruck driver was filmed apparently dozing behind the wheel as the hulking electric pickup cruised along Highway 101 in Marin County.
Video obtained by KRON4 showed the driver seemingly asleep as the Cybertruck traveled down the busy Bay Area highway around 4 p.m. May 16.
CHP warned at the time that fancy technology doesn’t absolve whoever is sitting behind the wheel of responsibility.
“Regardless of any special features a vehicle may possess, such as autopilot or fully autonomous capabilities, drivers are still responsible for the vehicle they are operating,” CHP said. “If a driver is asleep behind the wheel, they are in violation of California’s basic speed law.”
And another Tesla-related snoozing incident took an even more troubling turn in March.
Vacaville police said officers found an allegedly drunk and stoned motorist passed out behind the wheel of a black Tesla after the vehicle was spotted traveling through city streets, apparently using its driver-assistance system.
A concerned caller alerted police to the moving vehicle around 11 a.m., leading officers to track it down.
When police encountered the Tesla, the driver was allegedly asleep in the front seat with a pizza box and a package of miniature wine bottles nearby, according to authorities.
The unidentified motorist was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The latest incident prompted CHP to issue a simple warning to motorists tempted to let technology take the wheel while they grab some Z’s — stay awake, stay alert and save the nap for after the car is parked.
