On 5/7, while traveling on the Trans-Canada Highway through British Columbia, occupants of a car noticed unusual behavior from a Tesla and began recording a video.
The witness, Carleigh, reported that the Tesla driver was asleep, head slumped to the side, as the vehicle maintained a speed of approximately 100 km/h.
The video quickly gained traction after being reposted to a Facebook group. Carleigh stated she contacted police, who confirmed they had the license plate and would locate the driver.
According to Electrek, this incident presents a legal concern. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (supervised) system is a level 2 driver assistance system, requiring drivers to maintain constant vigilance. A driver falling asleep is not only dangerous but also a legal violation.
The incident also raises questions about Tesla's driver monitoring system. The company promotes this system as a safeguard against distracted driving. This system incorporates two layers, both of which exhibit vulnerabilities, as demonstrated by similar incidents to the video.
Since the 2024 version, Tesla's primary monitoring system has been a cabin camera mounted above the rearview mirror, tracking the driver's face and eyes for signs of attention. However, Tesla's user manual explicitly states that this image-based monitoring system "will not be activated" if the camera is obstructed, in low light, if the driver is not looking forward, or if the driver wears sunglasses or a hat covering their eyes.
The driver in the video wore large sunglasses. This presents a problem: with obscured eyes, the camera cannot confirm driver attention. Consequently, the system reverts to an older "alert" mechanism on the steering wheel, which periodically checks for applied force.
Detecting applied force is a significantly weaker safeguard. It fails to confirm if the driver is awake or attentive to the road; it merely verifies that some force is exerted on the steering wheel. A slumped posture, a casually placed arm, or even minor unintentional steering wheel movements can satisfy the system's requirement.
The Tesla in the video appeared to have numerous dashboard accessories and what looked like a steering wheel cover. However, it remains unclear if any anti-alert devices were present on the steering wheel.
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