Tesla Driver Arrested After Being Found Riding Backseat While The Driver Seat Was Empty

Tesla’s Autopilot mode is genuinely impressive for a piece of tech that is commercially available, but we wouldn’t go as far as calling Tesla’s cars fully self-driving just yet. However, not all of Tesla’s owners agree, because according to a statement by the California Highway Patrol, they have arrested a 25-year old man for riding in the backseat of his Tesla while the driver seat was empty.

According to the CHP’s statement, “On May 10 at approximately 6:34 p.m., the CHP’s Golden Gate Division Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding an individual seated in the backseat of a Tesla Model 3 without anyone seated in the driver’s seat.  The vehicle was reported to be traveling eastbound on I-80 across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge toward the city of Oakland.”

Tesla has said that its Autopilot system is not fully autonomous and the company actually has systems in place to prevent abuse. However, Tesla is allowing a limited number of owners to test its self-driving system, so it is unclear if the person arrested was part of the test.

That being said, despite being arrested, the driver claims that he would do it again. Speaking to KTVU, the driver was quoted as saying, “I’m gonna go in the back seat right now. You feel me? I’m waiting for my car to charge. Elon Musk really knows what he’s doing and I think people are tripping and they’re scared.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: Self-Driving Cars, Tesla