Tesla Running FSD Slams Into Police Cruiser After Driver Falls Asleep Behind the Wheel, Hospitalizing Two Officers With Serious Injuries

A Tesla vehicle equipped with Full Self-Driving mode collided with a police cruiser on October 13 after the driver reportedly fell asleep while operating the car. The incident occurred on the eastbound Interstate 80 highway in California, where the police were stationed to investigate a fatal accident. Despite lanes being closed with flares and cones, the Tesla veered into the marked area and struck the patrol car, sending it into another emergency vehicle.

Both officers involved in the collision were hospitalized with serious injuries but have since been released from the hospital. The driver, a 22-year-old man, sustained minor injuries. According to the California Highway Patrol, Full Self-Driving is not a fully autonomous system; it is an SAE Level 2 driver assistance technology that necessitates continuous driver supervision.

The NHTSA has previously reported that Tesla's self-driving systems, Autopilot and FSD, have been linked to numerous crashes, including those involving emergency vehicles, and have been accused of misleading drivers into a false sense of security.