Tesla Driver Says He Was Asleep on FSD When He Hit CHP Car, 2 Officers Hurt
The 22-year-old driver told investigators he was asleep with Full Self-Driving engaged when his vehicle struck a patrol car on Interstate 80.
Two California Highway Patrol officers sustained serious injuries after a Tesla driven by a 22-year-old man crashed into their patrol car at a nighttime emergency scene on Interstate 80 in Fairfield. The driver told investigators he was asleep at the wheel with Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system engaged at the time of the impact.
What Happened
The collision occurred just before midnight on Tuesday, October 13, on eastbound I-80 west of Air Base Parkway. The CHP officers were positioned in a Dodge Charger patrol car to manage a closure for an earlier fatal crash involving a Honda Civic and a Chevrolet Tahoe. Four lanes had been shut down behind flares and cones when the Tesla approached at freeway speed, bypassed the closure, and struck the patrol car. Both officers were inside the vehicle when it was hit. The Tesla driver, who resides in Sacramento, escaped with minor injuries. CHP released dashcam video of the incident on Thursday, noting that the Tesla’s model and software version have not yet been identified. Tesla’s vehicle logs are expected to confirm whether Full Self-Driving was active during the crash.
Why It Matters
This incident marks the latest in a series of Tesla crashes involving emergency vehicles, a pattern that prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to open an investigation in August 2021. That probe concluded with a recall of more than 2 million vehicles in December 2023, which included over-the-air updates to enhance driver-attention alerts. Despite these measures, Teslas have continued to strike stopped emergency vehicles, including a June 2024 incident in Fullerton where a Tesla on Full Self-Driving hit a parked police car while officers handled another fatal crash; in that incident, the driver admitted to being on his phone. The Fairfield incident highlights ongoing concerns about driver monitoring systems, which Tesla has reportedly relaxed in recent months. Elon Musk has suggested that drivers can use their phones while using Full Self-Driving depending on traffic conditions, a stance that contrasts with California laws prohibiting texting while driving. CHP emphasized that Full Self-Driving is a driver-assistance feature and that technology does not relieve drivers of their responsibility to operate vehicles safely.
The Bottom Line
Both the Fairfield crash and the earlier fatal accident remain under investigation. Tesla has not yet released the specific model or software version involved, and vehicle logs will determine if Full Self-Driving was active. The incident occurs amid existing NHTSA scrutiny of driver-assistance systems, following a 2023 recall of over 2 million vehicles to improve driver-attention monitoring.
