Tesla Driver Blocks View on US Motorway.
A Tesla Model 3 owner goes viral for blocking the windshield with a sunshade to let the car ‘drive itself’ down the motorway. Discover the absurdity behind this reckless stunt and the reality of Tesla’s Autopilot capabilities.
Credit: Instagram.
Tesla Driver Blocks View on US Motorway.
A Tesla Model 3 owner goes viral for blocking the windshield with a sunshade to let the car ‘drive itself’ down the motorway. Discover the absurdity behind this reckless stunt and the reality of Tesla’s Autopilot capabilities.
In a jaw-dropping display of automotive absurdity, a Tesla Model 3 owner has outdone himself, and could soon have a prestigious Darwin award coming his way. The driver, it seems, was more bothered by the sun than the reality of the road ahead, covering his windshield and windows to let his car “drive itself” down a US motorway.
The Myth of Autonomous Driving
Tesla has sold its Autopilot feature and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability as the future of driving, but the truth remains that while these cars can pretty much drive themselves most of the times, they can’t do everything just yet, particularly on a busy dangerous motorway. You still need to be sat in the driver’s seat and alert, just in case. Apparently, the facts didn’t faze our brilliant Tesla owner, who completely blocked their view just to keep the sun from spoiling their ride.
The allure of the Tesla Model 3 and its sibling, the Model Y, lies in their incredible efficiency and vast range. Plus, they come at a price that’s much more wallet-friendly than their competitors. Sure, they may have some questionable build quality and a few engineering decisions that look more like cost-cutting than innovation.
Sleeping Behind the Wheel
Since the dawn of Tesla’s Autopilot, videos have flooded social media of drivers napping in the backseat, playing cards, or even filming adult content while their cars navigate the open road. Federal authorities, alarmed by this reckless behaviour, have forced Tesla to implement warnings to prevent drivers from dozing off at over 100 km/h on the motorway.
But a recent video posted on Reddit shows that some Tesla drivers still take their responsibilities with a pinch of salt. A red Tesla Model 3 cruises down a Californian motorway with a sunshade blocking the entire windshield and windows.
The clip shows the Tesla gliding along the motorway before it seamlessly changes lanes to overtake a slower Toyota Prius. As it passes the stunned passengers filming the scene, the driver’s ingenious use of newspaper to block out the sun becomes evident- nobody could see behind the wheel.
One burning question remains: how did this driver manage to dupe the car’s monitoring system? Sure, you can buy clever devices online that attach to the steering wheel to trick the system into thinking you’re holding on, but they don’t bypass the internal camera when Autopilot is engaged.
Several witnesses reported the car‘s plate to the California Highway Patrol in the US, raising their concerns over the stunt.
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