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Police in Metro Vancouver are warning drivers to remain attentive, even in a self-driving vehicle, after ticketing a woman who “appeared to be literally asleep at the wheel” on Highway 1.
The B.C. Highway Patrol said the motorist was caught last Tuesday during the morning rush hour in Coquitlam.
Police said an officer pulled up next to the Tesla and noticed the driver “with her eyes closed and arms crossed” while the vehicle was travelling on the road in rainy and slippery conditions.
Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said the motorist told police she had “zoned out” but remained alert with her hands on the steering wheel.
However, McLaughlin said video captured by the officer’s in-car camera “did not support the driver’s claim.”
The driver was ticketed for speeding and driving without care, and fined over $500 as a result.
Police are reminding the public that drivers must be “fully awake, alert, focused, and in control” of their vehicle at all times on the road.
“It’s true that some electric vehicles have self-driving mode, but those systems are not legal to use in B.C.,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
In the province, it is prohibited to drive Level 3 or higher automated vehicles, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and it is also prohibited to use features that cause a vehicle to operate as a Level 3 or higher automated vehicle.
According to the SAE, Level 0 has no automation, while levels 1 and 2 have driver-assisted technology — popular features found in many new cars like automatic braking and lane assist.
But drivers can’t take a nap or catch the latest episode of their favourite television series. Levels 0-2 require the driver to be focused on the road and ready to respond, if needed.
Meanwhile, levels 3-5 of automation don’t require a person to drive the car at all.
