Man Cruises Down Highway in New Driverless Tesla

The new owner of a Tesla Model X displayed in a September 27 video just how advanced the vehicle’s Autopilot feature is, relaxing in the front passenger seat as the high-tech vehicle drove itself down a highway near Henderson, North Carolina.

The video shows the car gliding down the highway unassisted, managing speed and lane position while the driver simply sits back. “I was nervous my first time doing it,” the driver told Storyful.

According to Tesla, the full self-driving capability built into the Autopilot system can manage both long and short drives, regardless of traffic conditions and can even assume a passenger’s destination based on their calendar.

Credit: Albert Siplen via Storyful
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[commenter]

You're the reason why we can't have nice things.

[mzf]

This is just a ticking bomb waiting to explode

[DrDoinks]

“Elon musk would like to know your location.”

[NomnomEater]

If you want to put your own life at risk go ahead but don’t involve other drivers and their families.

[SAMEPICStories]

Regadless of the car having such a feature, ONE MUST TAKE PERSONAL REAPONSIBILITY in driving the car. There is a reason you have eyes and hands, use them.

[demef]

Stop the video at 0:38, then use the comma and period keys to single step back and ahead, respectively, in the video to step the video one frame at a time. You see two frames where his left hand is clearly rapidly moving. All other times, he attempts to show his left hand calmly at his side. BS. I.e., when he does all of this back and forth panning, he's nudging the steering wheel because he could not bypass that requirement in the Tesla control system.

[mattee]

For people that don’t own one there are a few things to know.

1. This is not allowed or supported by Tesla. The car has features that require your hand to be on the wheel and your butt in the seat. He obviously found a way around it but that’s his doing.
2. Autopilot with human supervision is 7-8 times safer than human driving however as someone who has over 35, 000 autopilot miles I will say in some cases you do have to take over as it can get confused. The software is nowhere near complete it’s a good beta.

3. Planes are still safer even with autopilot being 7-8 times safer because driving is dangerous:) but once every car is self driving and human mistakes are out of the picture driving will most likely be safer and there will be virtually no traffic.

[armson]

Irresponsible. I have FSD in my Model Y and it won't allow you to leave the drivers seat without Navigate on Autopilot being disengaged. You are making it bad for all of us by posting this.

[skateboardingcatsnpunk]

When your childhood nightmares of being in a car driving with no one on the wheel becomes a reality

[unknownname.]

Tesla requires you to put pressure on the steering wheel so every time he put the camera away from the steering wheel he was moving the steering wheel by a bit

[MindBodySoulOk]

Thanks for endangering everyone around you.

[taipoxin]

Just wait for when the car becomes sentient and decides enough is enough.

[psyphly]

now you can send your tesla alone, visiting the parents of your girlfriend

[acerockollaa]

This is the reason why I'm always in autopilot jail.

[Hoelzelc]

Do we know the name of the 'driver' to go along with the stated location of Henderson, NC? I'm sure the Sheriff and State Patrol would be interested in speaking to them.

[ry]

If a crappy 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire could drive by itself with Clark, Ellen, Rusty and Audrey Griswold fast asleep doing 80mph down a highway, this shouldn't be a problem at all.

[tomasruedas]

Big fucking deal buddy.... We all knew that cars will be driving themselves one day and they are already here and they won't be going away.

[spongybob]

If he gets pulled over who's geting the ticket the car or him lol

[ВасилийКапризный]

Let me guess a first russian comment-
"I can come back drunk from friends!"

[EvanMooreZ]

Even though Tesla requires you to be in the seat before Autopilot is engaged, this “driver” figured out you don’t have to remain in the seat for Autopilot to continue working. However, Tesla should require the seat to have constant pressure to prevent drivers from leaving the seat. This video confirms you can leave the seat and it will continue to drive itself. This driver simply jumped into the passenger seat after AP was engaged, has an attachment in the seatbelt holder to simulate it’s connected and he is constantly nudging the wheel every few seconds during a camera pan so the car continues to drive. Yes, I have a 2021 Model Y.