Posted on 12/03/2018 7:52:16 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Two California Highway Patrol Officers came up with a technique on the spot to stop a speeding Tesla Model S with an allegedly drunken driver asleep behind the wheel on the 101 Freeway in Redwood City on Friday, authorities said.
The encounter took place just before 4:30 a.m. on the southbound freeway near Whipple Avenue, the CHP said in a written statement.
The officers saw the car traveling at about 70 mph and realized the driver appeared to be unconscious, officials said. The driver showed no response when the officers activated their emergency lights and sirens while directly behind the Tesla in an attempt to pull it over.
"Officers then positioned their patrol vehicle in front of the Tesla and began slowing directly in front of the Tesla in hoped that the 'driver assist' feature had been activated, and therefore, the Tesla would slow to a stop as the patrol vehicle came to a stop," according to the statement.
They were able to slow the auto-piloted car to a complete stop.
After finally managing to rouse the driver, officers determined he was under the influence of alcohol, CHP officials said. Alexander Samek, 45, of Los Altos was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
"We cannot confirm at this time if the 'driver assist' feature was activated, but considering the vehicle's ability to slow to a stop when Samek was asleep, it appears the 'driver assist' feature may have been active at the time," the statement said.
Good though, but probably won’t work, as they’ll simply flag you for driving without the required data link.
Thank those old hags of MAAD arm twisting politicians into ever-decreasing blood levels.
If they get their wishes, thinking about a cold one when you get home will be cause for DUI.
Wait for it, thought crime is the next wave.
Yes because the law only requires you hat you be behind the wheel
It appears I will be the first to praise the quick thinking of the police for figuring out a safe way to stop the vehicle.
Regardless of the lane automation, Tesla drivers are generally major a$$holes, full of themselves, and think everybody should yield to them and get out of their way. I think they have overtaken Prius drivers as the biggest a-holes on the road. Our streets here in Silicon Valley are FILLED with both of them.
BMW and Lexus drivers have to be in the top 5 as well.
“I have a wall switch in my apartment that I don’t know what its for. I flicked it a few times and the phone rang. It was a lady in Germany telling me to stop it”.
It was explained to me, (I used to drive
my dad home from the bar), that if the
keys were anywhere in the cab, within
the drivers reach, they are guilty of
DUI. My dad would loop the keys around
the antenna, where I would find them.
This was in California, in the late 60’s.
They’re probably a lot more strict these
days.
“Interesting the article doesn’t mention that Samek is chair of the Los Altos Planning Commission and runs the real estate developing firm, The Kor Group.”
+++++++++++++++
Yes, that is interesting. I, myself, would be curious to know if he owns a significant block of Tesla stock.
In an earlier posting didn’t catch he was in the operators seat behind the wheel. I commented since he wasn’t traffic violation would be Tesla’s fault. But he was and had the ability to override any Tesla setting.
When I was a younger man, legend had it that the law in my state held that if you were drunk and tried to sleep it off on your car, if the keys were in your posession or within reach, you were liable for a DUI. I always wondered if I tossed them into the trunk and closed it if that would count. Yes there’s a release inside the car but clearly the keys are not in reach, I have to get out of the car and take several steps to get them. never tried it out though.
Driver assist? More like drinking-assist.
Tesla cites a statistic where their auto-drive cars have fewer accidents than human-driven cars, so their contention is that auto-drive cars are safer then human-driven cars.
While this may or may not be true, a huge percentage of the human-driven accidents. So it is probably more accurate to say that the Tesla system drives safer than you do when you’re drunk.
As my dearly departed Mom always said...”nothing good ever happens at 4:30 in the morning”
Tesla ought to use this guy in their advertising.
I thought those things were supposed to stop when an emergency vehicle with lights and flashers was in the vicinity. The Tesla was fleeing the police.
As far as I am concerned, Mercedes drivers are the worst of all.
Why you think the car was taking drugs?
Check the fuel tank for Jack Daniels too!
Though I dont know if these teslas use fuel.
I know NOTHING of electronic cars :)
Kidding aside, you are RIGHT.
then he is breaking the law regardless of driving or not
Who didn’t see this coming?
What percent of drunks own Teslas?
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