Tesla Reportedly Using Driver Assistance Struck a Patrol Car and Injured Two Officers in Fairfield, California

A Tesla driver reportedly told police he was asleep and using Full Self-Driving, a supervised driver-assistance system, when his car struck an occupied California Highway Patrol vehicle on Interstate 80 in Fairfield, California. The Tesla reportedly entered lanes closed with flares and cones for an earlier crash. Two officers were reported to have been seriously injured and later released from the hospital.

What this means for youIf you use driver-assistance features, you must stay awake and ready to take over, because the car can still crash into emergency vehicles. Regulators are likely to look at how these systems handle closed lanes and whether drivers are paying attention. Check that attention-monitoring settings are on and never rely on the system to drive alone.