A California Tesla driver allegedly turned a highway commute into nap time, appearing to sleep behind the wheel as the vehicle traveled at roughly 60 mph.
The motorist was reportedly slumped over behind dark sunglasses while driving through Solano County with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system activated, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A CHP motorcycle officer spotted the apparently sleeping driver and quickly pulled the Tesla over.
Authorities cited the driver for traveling at an unsafe speed and used the traffic stop to reinforce a crucial point: Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” technology does not allow motorists to disengage from the driving task.
“Power naps belong in a parking spot, not in the driver’s seat,” CHP wrote in a social media post about the unusual stop.
Despite its name, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system remains a driver-assistance feature, not a replacement for a human operator. Motorists must stay attentive and be prepared to take control at any moment.
CHP emphasized that activating a driver-assistance system does not give anyone legal permission to sleep while a vehicle 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 Solano County case is not the first time a Tesla driver has allegedly treated the vehicle’s front seat as a place to sleep.
In May, a Tesla Cybertruck driver was recorded apparently nodding off behind the wheel while the electric pickup traveled along Highway 101 in Marin County.
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Footage obtained by KRON4 appeared to show the driver asleep as the Cybertruck moved through the busy Bay Area highway around 4 p.m. on May 16.
At the time, CHP cautioned that advanced vehicle technology does not remove the driver’s responsibility for operating the car safely.
“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.”
Another Tesla-related sleeping-driver incident in March raised even more serious concerns.
Vacaville police said officers discovered an allegedly intoxicated motorist unconscious behind the wheel of a black Tesla after the vehicle was seen moving through city streets, apparently with its driver-assistance system engaged.
Police began searching for the vehicle after a concerned caller reported it at about 11 a.m.
When officers located the Tesla, the driver was allegedly asleep in the front seat. Authorities said they also found a pizza box and a package of miniature wine bottles nearby.
The unidentified driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Following the latest case, CHP issued a straightforward message to anyone tempted to let technology handle the drive while they catch up on sleep: stay awake, remain alert and wait until the vehicle is parked before taking a nap.