Full Breakdown
Tesla Driver Cited After Falling Asleep in Full Self-Driving Mode on California Highway
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
In early September, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer in Solano County observed a Tesla traveling on Interstate 80 at about 60 mph while the driver appeared slumped over with dark sunglasses. The vehicle was operating in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode. The officer stopped the car and issued a citation for “unsafe speed,” noting that the driver was not maintaining control of the vehicle.
Legal Context and Agency Response
California’s vehicle code does not contain a specific prohibition against sleeping behind the wheel, so the citation relied on the unsafe-speed provision. CHP emphasized that FSD is a Level 2 driver-assistance system, not an autonomous replacement.
Prior Similar Incidents
The September stop follows a series of recent reports involving Tesla drivers who appeared to nap while the car was in driver-assistance mode. In March, police in Vacaville arrested an unidentified motorist who was allegedly intoxicated and asleep in a Tesla that was moving through city streets. In May 16, a Cybertruck driver was filmed dozing on Highway 101 in Marin County, prompting a CHP reminder that technology does not absolve the driver of responsibility. Earlier in the year, a viral video showed a driver and passenger sleeping in a Tesla on Highway 4 in Pittsburg.
Safety Implications
These events underscore the regulatory view that drivers must remain alert even when advanced assistance features are engaged. CHP’s repeated warnings aim to prevent the misconception that “Full Self-Driving” permits unattended travel, reinforcing that the safest speed for a sleeping driver is zero miles per hour.
Verbatim Quote
“What’s the safe speed for being asleep? Zero miles per hour,” — Scott Heitman, CHP officer