California, USA – A shocking video has gone viral showing a woman apparently asleep at the wheel of her Tesla while the car continued driving itself on a busy California freeway at more than 50 miles per hour. The incident has reignited fierce debates over the safety of Tesla’s Autopilot system and the broader readiness of autonomous vehicle technology.
The Shocking Discovery on the Freeway
The video was captured by a mother and her son, Andres, as they were driving alongside the white Tesla. In the footage, the woman behind the wheel can be seen slouched, her eyes closed, appearing to be completely knocked out. Despite this, the car remained in motion, steadily cruising along the highway.
Andres recalled the disbelief of the moment:
“My mom kept saying, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.’ I looked over and I literally saw the girl sleeping, just barely holding the wheel. We were going around 55 miles per hour, and at one point the Tesla sped up, so we had to accelerate just to keep up and make sure we weren’t mistaken,” he explained.
Concerned for the safety of everyone on the road, Andres’ mother immediately called the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to report the situation. Authorities confirmed they received a 911 call about the drowsy Tesla driver, but by the time they arrived in the area, the vehicle could not be located.
Autopilot Under Growing Scrutiny
This alarming incident comes as Tesla faces mounting investigations and lawsuits regarding its Autopilot system. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently probing whether Tesla has misled consumers with claims that its cars can drive themselves.
Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is actively investigating more than a dozen crashes involving Teslas operating on Autopilot. In many of these cases, vehicles allegedly failed to respond properly to emergency scenes, colliding with stationary police or fire vehicles, reportedly confused by flashing lights.
