A Tesla driver was caught asleep at the wheel whilst travelling at 60 mph down a California highway, relying on the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to maintain control. The California Highway Patrol subsequently pulled the driver over and issued a citation for unsafe speed, highlighting growing concerns about drivers misinterpreting the limitations of Level 2 autonomous driving systems and treating them as a substitute for active driving.

The CHP used the incident to clarify that FSD is a driver-assistance tool requiring active supervision, not a replacement for human control, and that sleeping at the wheel remains illegal regardless of the vehicle's autonomous capabilities. Tesla and California have been in legal disputes over misleading marketing of autonomous features; the company previously used the term 'autopilot' before being ordered by the California DMV to remove it. In July 2026, Tesla reported 236 crash incidents to federal regulators—the highest monthly total on record—with four proving fatal; all four fatal crashes occurred with FSD activated, and half took place in California.