Congressman Presses DOT on Tesla FSD After 43 Sleeping-Driver Videos
The legislator cited 43 viral videos showing drivers unattended behind the wheel of Tesla vehicles using Full Self-Driving.
A U.S. Congressman is pressing the Department of Transportation (DOT) for action regarding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, citing a collection of 43 videos showing drivers sleeping or otherwise unattended while the system is engaged.
What Happened
The legislator submitted a formal inquiry to the DOT, highlighting 43 separate instances captured on video where Tesla drivers appeared to be asleep or not monitoring the road while using the company's Full Self-Driving feature. The source material indicates these videos were compiled to demonstrate a pattern of driver misuse or system reliance that raises safety concerns.
Why It Matters
Regulatory scrutiny often intensifies when visual evidence of driver misuse becomes public. For Tesla owners and the broader EV market, this pressure signals that the DOT may be preparing to tighten oversight of Level 2 autonomy systems. The focus on 'sleeping drivers' specifically targets the gap between marketing language and actual driver responsibility, potentially leading to stricter enforcement of existing laws or new guidance on autonomy features.
The Bottom Line
The DOT has been formally pressed by a Congressman to address Tesla FSD usage, with 43 specific video examples cited as evidence of drivers not maintaining required attention levels.
