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So much for autopilot.
A 22-year-old Sacramento man who claimed he was asleep while his Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system was engaged allegedly barreled into a California Highway Patrol cruiser at freeway speeds, seriously injuring two officers working at the scene of a fatal crash.
The Oct. 13 wreck unfolded on eastbound Interstate 80 west of Air Base Parkway, where the officers were investigating the deadly collision when the Tesla entered the closed lanes and smashed into their occupied patrol vehicle, according to CHP’s Solano area office.
And this wasn’t some barely marked-off stretch of highway.
CHP said the lanes were blocked with flares and cones, while emergency vehicles lit up the scene with flashing lights. The Tesla driver suffered minor injuries; the two officers are recovering from serious ones.
In a statement to KRON, CHP made clear that Tesla’s incredible driving technology is no substitute for an alert human at the wheel.
“The driver claimed he was asleep and that the vehicle was operating in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving mode at the time of the crash. Despite its name, Full Self-Driving is not fully autonomous. It is an SAE Level 2 driver assistance system that requires continuous driver supervision.”
In other words, the system’s name doesn’t give drivers permission to catch some Zs while their car cruises down the freeway.
The crash also raises questions about whether the driver will face legal consequences.
California law includes provisions covering unsafe speed and reckless driving, but authorities have not said what charges, if any, the man could face.
The investigation is ongoing.