Legal Consequences for Sleeping Driver Using Tesla Autopilot

A Tesla driver who passed a Washington State Patrol trooper while asleep at the wheel is facing charges.

According to WSP, the female driver was using the autopilot system when she passed the trooper going 78-mph on I-5 in Kent. She was in a 60-mile-per-hour zone.

The trooper managed to get the driver's attention and got her to pull over. The woman was cited for speeding and negligent driving.

About Tesla's Autopilot System

The advanced driver-assistance system developed by Tesla is NOT fully autonomous. The system is designed to assist drivers. They MUST remain attentive at all times and ready to take over.

Autopilot uses cameras, sensors, and AI software to assist with certain driving tasks, such as parallel parking, or Autopark. It can help with steering. Autosteer keeps the car centered in its lane. Tesla's Autopilot System requires constant driver supervision.

While Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Is Active, the Driver Is Required to Stay Alert

The bottom line is that Tesla's Autopilot is one of the most advanced driver-assistance systems available. However, while the system can help with steering and speed, the HUMAN driver remains fully responsible.

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2023 Best Looking State Patrol Cars In (Almost) Every State

For the past 10 years, the American Association of State Troopers has held a contest to determine which state has the best looking patrol cruiser. Nearly every state police agency submits their best photo of their sharpest patrol vehicle a chance to win the coveted cover photo on the association's annual calendar. From cop cars rushing through blizzards to vehicles on the Grand Ole Opry stage, here are this 2023's nominees.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli