An alleged drunk driver found passed out in a Tesla on a bridge in California told officers the car was on “autopilot” — an apparent bid to alleviate concerns about him being behind the wheel.
The unidentified motorist was arrested and charged with suspicion of DUI after being found unconscious on the Bay Bridge with a blood alcohol content “more than” twice the legal limit, the California Highway Patrol posted on Twitter.
“Driver explained Tesla had been set on autopilot,” the post continued. “He was arrested and charged with suspicion of DUI. Car towed (no it didn’t drive itself to the tow yard).”
“It’s pretty quick that we get those calls,” Officer Vu Williams of the California Highway Patrol’s San Francisco division told the San Francisco Chronicle. “We always have units patrolling the bridge.”
Tesla officials, meanwhile, said the car’s autopilot function is intended to assist the driver, not take over for them.
In a statement in 2016 Tesla said that: Autopilot is an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times and you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle while using it. Additionally, every time that Autopilot is engaged, the car reminds the driver to always keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to take over at any time.
Fox News contributed to this report