Tesla driver appears to be asleep as car goes over 100 km/h on QEW

Video has emerged exhibiting a Tesla driver showing to be asleep behind the wheel whereas travelling greater than 100 km/h on a busy Ontario freeway.

Louise Lesser mentioned she was driving on the Queen Elizabeth Freeway close to St. Catharines round 7 a.m. on Friday when her associate regarded over and thought the white Tesla in entrance of them did not have a driver.

“I assumed he was loopy as a result of, clearly, a automobile has to have a driver,” Lesser instructed CTV Information Toronto on Friday. “I instructed him to decelerate as a result of I wished to see.”

Lesser mentioned once they pulled up beside the Tesla, she seen the driving force’s seat was reclined and the individual behind the wheel had their eyes closed.

She mentioned visitors round them was shifting at roughly 105 km/h on the time.

“After I was capable of see in, the man, he opened his eyes for perhaps a break up second, after which closed his eyes once more and was totally asleep,” she mentioned. “He was behind a dump truck and all I may assume is ‘If that truck slams on the brake instantly, what would occur?’”

Lesser mentioned her associate thought-about honking their automobile horn to wake the driving force up, however had been fearful that will startle him and trigger an accident.

“I assumed it was insane. I’ve seen visitors, particularly on the QEW, it goes from being totally open, you’ll be able to do 100 km/h, to being at a standstill in two seconds,” she mentioned. “To know this man wasn’t awake, it nearly made me not need to be on the freeway.”

Lesser mentioned the driving force was asleep for about one other 10 to fifteen minutes. She mentioned he opened his eyes and began steering the automobile once more when he acquired nearer to the place the freeway splits in the direction of Lewiston and Fort Erie.

CTV Information Toronto confirmed the video to Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. Whereas the video has not been verified by police, he referred to as incident “fully negligent and reckless.”

“If this individual is really asleep, I do not know why the individual recording the video would take the video moderately than name 911,” Schmidt mentioned. “Is that this individual medical misery? What is going on on inside that car? It leaves a little bit little bit of a suspicious thought in my thoughts as as to if that is really reliable or if that is staged? I do not know.”

Lesser instructed CTV Information Toronto she didn’t name 911 as a result of she could not get a transparent take a look at the car’s licence plate.

Schmidt mentioned no matter whether or not this video is reliable, the actions of the driving force behind the wheel are unlawful.

“Nobody of their proper thoughts would do that,” he mentioned. “This car must be stopped and this driver must be assessed.”

Schmidt mentioned the OPP just isn’t at the moment investigating the video as a result of no formal grievance has been filed.

“Should you’re sitting within the driver’s seat of a car, you might be required and obligated to be alert and attentive. Failure to take action may lead to careless driving expenses and harmful driving expenses. There is no such thing as a offence referred to as asleep on the wheel, however there’s a variety of different offences that will match that class.”

In accordance with Tesla’s web site, their present Autopilot options require energetic driver supervision and don’t make the car autonomous.

CTV Information Toronto reached out to Tesla for remark, however has not heard again.