Tesla driver says he was asleep on FSD when he hit CHP car, 2 officers hurt

This story isn't really about home energy upgrades, but it touches on a product many homeowners also own: a Tesla with "Full Self-Driving" (FSD). Early Tuesday near Fairfield, California, a Tesla drove through a closed-off section of Interstate 80, where officers were working a fatal crash scene marked with flares and cones, and hit a patrol car with two California Highway Patrol officers inside. Both were seriously injured. The 22-year-old Tesla driver told investigators he had fallen asleep with FSD engaged; he had only minor injuries. Tesla's own vehicle logs, not yet released, will confirm whether FSD was actually running.

This isn't an isolated case. Federal regulators have been investigating Teslas crashing into stopped emergency vehicles since 2021, which led to a recall of more than 2 million vehicles in 2023 meant to add more alerts checking that drivers are paying attention. Despite that fix, a Tesla on FSD hit a parked police car in 2024 as well. Reporting has also found that Tesla's driver-monitoring camera, meant to catch an inattentive or sleeping driver, can be fooled easily, even with something as simple as an object placed in front of it.

For homeowners who also drive a Tesla, the takeaway is a reminder that FSD is a driver-assistance system, not a hands-off autopilot, and CHP has emphasized that the person behind the wheel remains responsible for controlling the vehicle at all times.