Concerned drivers spot Tesla driving itself in California with smiling man in backseat
Drivers were cruising the California streets when they looked over and saw a Tesla driving itself.
It looked like there was no one in the front seats as the Tesla roamed the San Francisco Bay Area. Drivers thought the only person in the car was in the backseat, and he was smiling from ear to ear, photos show.
CHP MADE AWARE OF AN UNUSUAL INCIDENT INVOLVING A TESLA The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has been made aware of an...
Posted by CHP – Golden Gate Division on Saturday, May 8, 2021
The California Highway Patrol said Saturday concerned drivers reported the unusual sight to officials.
“The California Highway Patrol has been made aware of an incident involving a man riding in the backseat of a Tesla traveling on Bay Area roadways, with no other person being seated in the driver seat,” the agency said on Facebook.
Some people said on Facebook that they saw the man dancing. Others said he was using an iPad to film his surroundings.
Officials are investigating the incident and asked that anyone with information report it to the California Highway Patrol. Police did not give more information on the Tesla or identify the man.
People worry that the man was putting other drivers at risk by sitting in the backseat.
“This is crazy! While driving San Jose months ago, a car was driving slowly and everyone was bypassing it. When I was even with it, there was no one in the car,” one commenter said. “How is this allowed?”
Teslas have an autopilot function that lets the “car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane under your active supervision,” according to the company’s website.
In April, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree and burst into flames in Texas, McClatchy News reported. Two people who were in the car died during the crash.
It looked like no one was driving the Tesla when it ran into the tree, Texas police said. However, Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted at the time of the crash that data logs didn’t show that the vehicle was in autopilot mode.
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