RCMP investigating B.C. Tesla driver who was seemingly asleep on the highway

An alarming viral video shows a driver in B.C. who appears to be asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla on a busy highway.

As captured on Sunday by the passenger of another vehicle, Carleigh King, a woman can be seen slumped over in a dark grey Tesla without her hands on the wheel as it cruises along the Trans-Canada Highway between Golden and Revelstoke. King says she called 911 to report the driver, and the RCMP has confirmed to CBC News that it’s investigating the incident.

Of course, it would certainly seem, based on the video, that the woman turned on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to allow herself to nod off. The problem here is twofold. Not only is this dangerous behaviour in general, especially on such a busy route like the Trans-Canada Highway, but it’s also illegal as well.

That’s because B.C. law implements restrictions on self-driving vehicle features based on levels of automation ranging from 0 to 5. Only up to Level 2 is permitted in B.C., meaning basic assistive automated features like cruise control and lane assist. Level 3 and up, meanwhile, involves “highly automated self-driving capabilities, which do not require a person to be driving when automated features are engaged.”

As a result, the woman in the Tesla, who doesn’t appear to be in control of the vehicle in the video footage, could be in violation of B.C. law. In particular, Cpl. Michael McLaughlin from B.C. Highway Patrol told CBC News that the woman could face “a simple violation ticket all the way up to criminal charges for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.” It should also be noted that King said she saw children in the backseat of the vehicle. While police haven’t yet corroborated this, McLaughlin said the woman could face additional criminal charges related to negligence if kids were indeed in the vehicle.

Outside of the woman’s dangerous behaviour, this incident is yet another example of the risks associated with self-driving technology, especially from Tesla, which has been linked to hundreds of investigations and numerous injuries and fatalities in the U.S. alone. In particular, Tesla FSD is supposed to be “supervised,” a rule that is enforced by features like eye-tracking via the rearview mirror. However, people have notoriously found ways to circumvent this, like polarized sunglasses and even tiny plastic dolls, the former of which the woman appears to be using in the video.

Via: CBC News