A video making the rounds online appears to show a Tesla driver asleep behind the wheel while cruising down one of Australia’s busiest motorways.
The footage, shared by TikTok creator Luke Bandiera, appears to show a Tesla driver with his head tilted back, eyes closed, and hands nowhere near the steering wheel while traveling on Sydney’s M2 Motorway. Several seconds later, the driver opens his eyes, notices he’s being filmed, and places his hands back on the wheel.
While only the driver knows for certain whether he was actually asleep, to most viewers the video certainly looks that way. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder of just how comfortable some drivers have become with modern driver-assistance systems.
That’s particularly true when it comes to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software. Despite the name, the system still requires active human supervision, a detail that can sometimes get lost as the technology becomes increasingly capable.
Tesla Driver Appears to Snooze on Busy Sydney Motorway
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@lukebandiera Fast asleep on the M2 😴🌧️ ♬ original sound – Luke Bandiera
The clip appears to show the white Tesla cruising along normally while its driver takes what many viewers have described as an afternoon nap.
Unlike some viral videos where everyone is arguing about what they’re seeing, this one leaves relatively little room for interpretation. The driver’s head is tilted back, his eyes appear closed, and his hands are nowhere near the steering wheel. Several seconds later, he opens his eyes, notices the camera, and places his hands back on the wheel.
While only the driver knows for certain whether he was actually asleep, the video certainly gives that impression.
Every Sleeping Tesla Video Starts the Same Argument
We’ve covered several instances of drivers apparently sleeping behind the wheel of Teslas over the years.
One involved a woman who was accused of driving under the influence after authorities said she was found asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla stopped in the middle of Interstate 75 while relying on the vehicle’s Autopilot system.
That story wasn’t really about one driver. It highlighted a misunderstanding we keep seeing over and over again. People are starting to treat driver-assistance systems like they’re autonomous chauffeurs. They’re not.
Every time one of these stories pops up, the same debate follows. Some people insist the driver is a complete idiot. Others insist that the car can drive itself, and that the concern is overblown. Then the keyboard lawyers arrive, reminding everyone why we don’t hand out law degrees to people who watched a bunch of Judge Judy episodes and did their legal research on Reddit and internet forums. That’s usually when things get entertaining.
The reality is that neither side is entirely wrong, but neither side is entirely right either. Modern driver-assistance systems are remarkably capable, but capability and autonomy are not the same thing.
There Is Still a Stunning Amount of Confusion About Fsd
Based on the comments we see every time we cover one of these stories, there is still an incredible amount of confusion and misinformation surrounding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, what it can do, what it can’t do, and who is responsible when things go wrong.
Despite the name, Full Self-Driving is not a self-driving system. Tesla’s FSD is classified as a Level 2 advanced driver-assistance system. It can steer, accelerate, brake, change lanes, navigate city streets, respond to traffic controls, and perform many driving tasks that would have seemed impossible not that long ago.
It’s impressive technology, but it still requires human supervision.
Just Because It Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding FSD is that capability somehow equals permission.
The fact that a Tesla may be capable of driving itself for extended periods does not mean the driver is free to take a nap, watch a movie, scroll TikTok, write emails, or otherwise mentally check out. That’s the part a surprising number of people seem to miss.
Tesla itself states drivers are expected to remain attentive and prepared to take over at any moment. The vehicle may be doing most of the work, but the human remains legally responsible for what happens.
Confidence Creates Complacency
Ironically, the better these systems become, the more likely some drivers are to trust them too much. After all, if a vehicle successfully covers hundreds or thousands of miles without issue, it’s easy to see how someone might come to believe it can handle anything.
That’s where things get dangerous.
Confidence creates complacency, and complacency causes crashes. FSD requires alert, sober supervision.
The driver in this video certainly appears to be asleep. Whether he nodded off unintentionally or simply closed his eyes for a few seconds is something only he knows. Either way, neither is what Tesla’s system is designed for.
And Before the Tesla Fans Get Mad…
Before I get any heat for mentioning the car involved is a Tesla, we are car-brand agnostic.
We’re happy to roast any driver creating a danger on the roadway, regardless of make or model. So if you have dashcam footage or social media posts showing a drowsy driver snoozing and cruising in a Toyota Yaris, send it our way.