--- title: "Tesla Spotted Cruising Down Highway With Dog in Driver’s Seat" description: "Because nothing matters any more, a dog appears to have taken control of a Tesla vehicle, according to a groundbreaking investigate report." date: "2021-12-17" modified: "2021-12-17" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-highway-dog-drivers-seat" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "autopilot" - "dog" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Spotted Cruising Down Highway With Dog in Driver’s Seat ![Because nothing matters any more, a dog appears to have taken control of a Tesla vehicle, according to a groundbreaking investigate report.]() *\Image: Blake Missick\* ## Not a Shiba Because nothing matters any more, a dog appears to have taken control of a Tesla vehicle, according to a groundbreaking [investigate report by *Inside Edition*](). "This is crazy!" sputtered Blake Missick, from Austin, Texas, incredulously in [the video](), which shows a shaggy dog going for a spin in a Tesla. "There's nobody in there! Is this legal?" While it's not the most egregious use of Tesla's infamous Autopilot software, it's [yet another instance]() of somebody abusing the self-driving software for views on the internet. The fact that Tesla's software is [incredibly easily]() fooled into thinking there's a human driver behind the wheel doesn't exactly help, either. https://youtu.be/dx9y44Stoos ## Wasn't Me When asked by *Inside Edition* if he set up the obviously staged video, Missick responded with "no, no I wish I knew somebody with a Tesla, that would be pretty cool." "But not involved with this one," he added. But given all the other silly videos Missick happens to have orchestrated previously, like the one where he tried — and failed — to catch a wasp with a tiny lasso in his kitchen, it's not a stretch to conclude that he may be behind this latest viral stunt as well. I mean, a viral video producer, who happens to be at the right place at the right time? What are the chances? As *Inside Edition*'s insightful reporter was quick to point out, somebody was likely hiding in the backseat while the pooch got to *not* sit shotgun for once. Austin police's animal cruelty unit is now investigating, according to the magazine. **READ MORE:** [Dog Appears to Be Alone Behind Wheel of Tesla in Viral Video]() \[*Inside Edition*\] **More on Autopilot:** *[Tesla Engineers Say Elon Musk Misled the Public About Autopilot's Safety]()* ## 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]()