Autonomous driving looks set to be a part of our motoring future. Whilst it sounds great, there might be one thing it can never account for: the stupidity of some drivers.
Ok, “stupidity” might sound strong, but traveling at high speed without paying full attention isn’t exactly a good idea, as one Tesla driver in Ontario found out this week.
According to a tweet from the Ontario Provincial Police, a 58-year-old Tesla driver was stopped by Burlington officers for travelling at 84 mph (ca. 135 km/h) whilst flossing their teeth with both hands. The driver was using autopilot to guide the vehicle at the time.
A 58 yr old Tesla driver was stopped by #Burlington OPP in #OakvilleON, using autopilot while using both hands to floss teeth and going 135km/hr. Charged careless ^kw#ArriveAlive #lookmanohands pic.twitter.com/zPK34AmVPJ
— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) January 8, 2020
Authorities have charged the individual with careless driving.
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This isn’t the first instance where a Tesla driver has put perhaps a little too much faith in their vehicle’s self-guidance system.
Last year videos emerged online of a man seemingly fast asleep at the wheel of his Tesla as it cruised down the highway at 60 mph (ca. 97 km/h) on autopilot.
At least in the case of the “two-handed flosser”, they were awake and conscious at the time.
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