--- title: "Tesla Autopilot Leads Cops on High Speed Chase While Driver Completely Passed Out" description: "A German driver has lost his license after seemingly falling asleep while his Tesla drove down the Autobahn with its Autopilot feature turned on." date: "2023-01-03" modified: "2023-01-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-autopilot-high-speed-chase" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "autopilot" - "germany" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Autopilot Leads Cops on High Speed Chase While Driver Completely Passed Out ![A German driver has lost his license after seemingly falling asleep while his Tesla drove down the Autobahn with its Autopilot feature turned on.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* ## Tesla: Hot Pursuit A German driver has lost his license after allegedly falling asleep while his Tesla drove down the Autobahn highway with its Autopilot feature activated. According to a [press release]() by Bavarian police, officers tried to stop the self-driving Tesla, but to no avail. Police state that the vehicle "kept the same distance from the patrol car in front," reaching speeds of 70mph. The 45-year-old driver was reportedly seen in a reclined position with his eyes closed and his hands off the steering wheel, implying he had allowed Autopilot to take full control. It's only the latest incident of [people losing consciousness]() behind the wheel of a Tesla, a dangerous trend that has ended in several collisions already. The report also highlights [how easy it is]() to fool a Tesla into thinking the driver is alert, something that has already garnered the company [plenty of criticism]() in the past. ## Public Endangerment Tesla is already under heavy scrutiny for its controversial driver assistance software. US regulators are [investigating]() the carmaker over a series of incidents involving Autopilot, as well as [misleading customers]() into thinking the cars can drive themselves. Fortunately, this latest incident did not end in disaster. According to the statement, the driver woke up after a 15 minute pursuit and eventually pulled over. Investigators found the driver had gone to surprising lengths to fool the car into driving itself while he was getting some shut eye. They discovered a "steering wheel weight in the footwell," a device that can "trick the vehicle's safety system by pretending that your hand is on the wheel." Drugs may have also played a role, according to the press release. The driver is now facing criminal charges and has had his license suspended — which seems reasonable, considering his misdeeds. **More on Autopilot:** *[Tesla Lawyers Say Failure to Deliver Self-Driving Isn't Technically Fraud]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()