A video showing an driver apparently asleep behind the wheel of a while the car drove itself using the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature has gone viral online, sparking a discussion over the safety and future of self-driving technology.
The clip was shared on X by a -based user identified as @boostedboikyle, who claimed that the driver slept through most of the 20-minute highway ride while the Tesla handled the journey on its own.
“My uber picked me up in a Tesla and fell asleep on the highway. I’ve driven with FSD and trust how well it works so I wasn’t worried. It took the exit and drove me to my destination all by itself. He was asleep for 90% of the 20 minute drive haha,” the passenger wrote.
The video showed the Tesla travelling smoothly on a highway while Benson Boone’s song Beautiful Things played in the background. The camera also captured the vehicle’s navigation screen, speed details and estimated arrival time as the car continued driving without any visible issue.
Take a look below:
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How did social media react?
The incident quickly triggered reactions from social media users, many of whom criticised the driver for relying too heavily on Tesla’s FSD system.
“The tech is cool, but bro deserves a 1 star bad rating because Tesla clearly states we are to be ready to take over at any point. I use FSD very regularly and I would never do this,” one user commented.
Another wrote, “This is what FSD was NOT meant for. By doing this this driver will soon be replaced. AI cabs are coming to Toronto, then these Uber drivers will be up in arms. Well this is the case study.”
Some users expressed concern about the potential risks of a sleeping driver suddenly regaining control of the vehicle. “I would never trust this. What if he wakes up, gets scared, and jerks the steering wheel? I’d trust it more without a person there at all,” one person wrote.
Others, however, viewed the incident as evidence of how advanced Tesla’s self-driving technology has become. “Well, I guess that is a life-saving affirmation of FSD,” one user commented, while another added, “Using FSD supervised, you should always supervise. But this is also proof of how safe FSD is.”
Several viewers were also puzzled about why Tesla’s monitoring system did not alert the driver.
“How can the current FSD allow him to sleep? Mine tells me to wake up or pay attention every 30 seconds, unless I’m wearing sunglasses. Even then, it can detect when I’m sleeping,” a user wrote.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature, despite its name, still requires drivers to remain attentive and ready to take control of the vehicle at all times. “Currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,” the company states.
