RUNAWAY RIDE
Police chase a high-speed Tesla as drunk driver falls asleep at the wheel with Autopilot left on
The driver is a government official who failed to wake up even when the Model S was forced to a stop by a police car
POLICE chased a Tesla driving in Autopilot mode at 70mph while its driver was drunk and asleep at the wheel.
Government official Alexander Samek was arrested on November 30 after a seven-mile chase that was brought to a halt just minutes away from Tesla headquarters.
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reported that a California Highway Patrol saw a grey Tesla Model S driving at 70mph at 3:37am on Highway 101 in San Francisco.
Officers pulled up alongside the Model S to find Samek, the vice-chair of the local council's Los Altos Planning Commission, slumped over.
The 45-year-old did not respond to sirens, which led the police on a seven-mile and seven-minute chase.
Police pulled in front of the Tesla to bring the Autopilot to a stop in the right-hand lane north of Embarcadero Road.
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However, Samek only woke up after an officer tapped on his car's window.
The Tesla was then led to a nearby petrol station where the government official failed a breathalyser test. He was arrested with bail set at $15,000 (£11,700).
California Highway Patrol is now investigating if and how the suspected Autopilot tech was used during the incident.
Art Montiel, California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer, said: “It’s great that we have this technology, however, we need to remind people that...even though this technology is available, they need to make sure they know they are responsible for maintaining control of the vehicle.”
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MORE FROM MOTORS
Tesla cars include a 'failsafe' when drivers need to have their hands on the wheel for Autopilot to function.
The manufacturer is unsure how Samek used the semi-driverless tech whilst asleep.
Some car makers, such as BMW, use facial recognition to ensure that drivers' eyes remain on the road when using an assist feature, with sound and vibration warnings if not.
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