The Bamberg traffic police pursued a vehicle from the American manufacturer Tesla for a quarter of an hour on Wednesday, which was apparently traveling independently on the A70. According to the police, the 45-year-old driver fell asleep behind the wheel, and the built-in autopilot then steered the car at a constant speed of 110 on the highway.
When the police wanted to stop and check the man, his Tesla just kept driving. “He didn’t respond to stop signals or repeated horns from the officers,” police said. The driver was leaning in the seat with his eyes closed and his hands were not on the steering wheel. “After about 15 minutes, the man finally woke up and followed the instructions of the police. During the check, he showed typical drug failure symptoms,” the statement continues.
In the footwell of the car, the officers found what is known as a steering wheel weight, which is used to trick the security systems. It attaches to the steering wheel and gives the car the illusion that your hands are on the wheel. According to the law, automated driving in Germany is only possible within narrow limits, and the driver must be able to take over the wheel at all times. Napping or other activities such as reading newspapers are prohibited.
A preliminary investigation into the criminal offense of endangering road traffic was initiated against the Tesla driver. According to the police, he has to give up his driver’s license until the court decides.