Los Angeles, Ca
O.C. Uber customer says driver asleep in Tesla on 405 Freeway
An Orange County rideshare customer captured cellphone footage of his Uber driver seemingly asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla traveling along the 405 Freeway earlier this year.
The incident, according to the customer who reached out to KTLA, occurred March 24 while he was on a ride to Costa Mesa just before 7:30 p.m.
In the footage, the driver, wearing a coat and tie, is seen with his head resting against the headrest while remaining completely still, even as the customer moves closer with the camera.
Toward the end of the video, one of the driver’s hands appears to rest near his waist rather than on the steering wheel.
The customer told KTLA he filed a complaint with Uber but was informed he would not be able to find out whether any action was taken regarding the incident. He also said he contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which reportedly declined to accept the video evidence and told him deputies would have needed to witness the driver asleep themselves.
Videos of Tesla drivers appearing to be asleep have become increasingly common.
More recently, footage of an apparently napping Tesla driver on the 5 Freeway was captured by witnesses in southbound lanes near Camp Pendleton.
As far back as February 2023, video obtained by KTLA showed two separate drivers appearing to be asleep behind the wheel in the span of a week, one in Los Angeles and the other in Temecula.
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A rideshare customer captured cellphone footage of his Uber driver apparently sleeping while behind the wheel of a Tesla on the 405 Freeway in Orange County on March 24, 2026. (viewer image) -
A rideshare customer captured cellphone footage of his Uber driver apparently sleeping while behind the wheel of a Tesla on the 405 Freeway in Orange County on March 24, 2026. (viewer image)
KTLA’s San Francisco sister station, KRON, also obtained footage of an East Bay driver apparently asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3 on Highway 4 in March.
According to Tesla’s guidelines, drivers using the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving mode are required to remain attentive and ready to take control of the car at any moment.
In past incidents, the California Highway Patrol has told KTLA that drivers must be awake, conscious and sober to legally operate a moving vehicle.
The electric vehicle maker has been at the center of numerous controversies but remains the top-selling brand in California for the fourth year in a row. Tesla’s Model Y far outsold any other new vehicle in the state in 2025.
KTLA has reached out to Uber about the March 24 incident and is awaiting a response.
The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding a 13-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Los Angeles Monday. Ian Williams was last seen at Dockweiler State Beach near Tower 42 at about 6:20 p.m., close to the 6900 block of Pacific Avenue. “Ian suffers from severe autism and has […]
Los Angeles, Ca
L.A. man who violently crashed into Border Patrol agents sentenced to 5 years in prison
A 20-year-old man from San Pedro has been sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting Border Patrol agents in Arizona on Jan. 14, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona announced Monday. Joe Martin Cruz was transporting four illegal immigrants across the border near Arivaca, Ariz., when Border Patrol agents began tailing his vehicle, […]
Those comfortable Fourth of July temperatures will come to an end this week as Southern California braces for more summer-like conditions and a heat advisory.
“Definitely going to be a tough week in front of us as finally we see a shift in the weather pattern,” KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said Monday. “We are going to see temperatures for the inland valleys making a run toward 100 degrees, more so tomorrow and through the rest of the week.”
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 8 p.m. Thursday as highs in the inland valleys reach between 90 and 100 degrees. Temperatures of 104 degrees or higher will be possible over portions of the Antelope Valley.
Residents are urged to stay out of the sun, wear light-colored clothing, drink plenty of water and never leave pets inside a hot car.
“We also have some fire concerns as we’re going to get some gusty winds going,” Henry said.
Temperatures are expected to cool slightly after Thursday, according to the Weather Service.
“We do get a moderate pullback for the upcoming weekend, but still warm and still above average,” Henry said.
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