Tesla Owner Who Blamed Autopilot For Crash Loses License For 5 Years

Any time a Tesla Inc TSLA vehicle is in an accident, one of the first things people want to know is if Autopilot, the company's driver assist software, was in use. Whether it was or not, the driver is always responsible for their vehicle.

According to Teslarati, after a crash in China involving a Tesla Model X, the driver blamed Autopilot for the accident that did not result in injuries. The driver claimed they had some alcohol, and did not want to drive, so to move the car to their designated driver, they hopped in the passenger seat and engaged Autopilot.

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While it is possible for Autopilot to be active without a driver in the driver seat, it is not possible to start the system without a person sitting there. 

Tesla China responded, saying, "According to Tesla gravity-sensing settings, if the driver does not sit in the driver’s seat, the vehicle will not start." The owner had a blood alcohol content above the legal limit in China. Because of this, the police revoked his license for drunk driving for a minimum of 5 years. 

Photo courtesy of Tesla