Drunk Man Asleep in Self-Driving Tesla on Finnish Highway, Police Chase Ensues
In Finland, a drunk man fell asleep in a self-driving Tesla, which was then pursued by police on the highway. The police eventually stopped the vehicle, and the man was charged with drunk driving and endangering traffic. This incident highlights safety and ethical challenges with autonomous driving technology.
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 22:56
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 23:02 (5 min after Published)
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Helsinki, May 8) A man in Finland was found drunk and asleep in a Tesla electric car, relying on its autonomous driving system to travel at high speed on the highway. A police car pulled alongside, honked, and eventually cut in front of the Tesla, gently applying the brakes. The autonomous driving system sensed the vehicle ahead and eventually stopped. The nearly two-minute chase footage has been released, making people hold their breath.
According to "Helsingin Sanomat," the incident occurred last July on National Road 6 within Lappeenranta. While on patrol, police observed a Tesla driving in the left lane for an extended period at a constant speed of 115 km/h, unresponsive to the flashing lights of the police car behind. When officers approached, they found the driver's head slumped forward, fast asleep.
The officers eventually cut their patrol car into the same lane in front of the Tesla and gently applied the brakes. The Tesla's autonomous driving system sensed the decelerating vehicle ahead and slowed down accordingly, eventually coming to a stop. It took several attempts for the officers to wake the man.
The man admitted to drinking before driving and falling asleep on the road. A blood alcohol test showed a concentration of 2.72 per mille, more than five times Finland's legal limit of 0.5 per mille for drunk driving. Although the indictment did not specify how far the vehicle traveled in autonomous driving mode, the danger was self-evident.
The South Karelia District Court formally indicted the man this week on charges of endangering traffic safety and aggravated drunk driving. The police dashcam video was released along with the indictment. The prosecutor is seeking a sentence of approximately four months in prison or community service for the man, with the verdict expected next week.
When the Finnish police first publicized this case last July, they explained how to handle similar situations: if someone is found asleep in a car, follow the vehicle and immediately call the police; do not attempt to stop the car yourself. The police also warned that with the increasing popularity of autonomous driving technology, similar violations are likely to occur more frequently in the future.
Although Tesla's official manual states that if a driver continuously fails to respond to system warnings, the vehicle will sound an alarm, activate hazard lights, and slowly come to a stop. However, in this case, the man's hands were still on the steering wheel while he was asleep, causing the system to continuously receive torque signals and thus mistakenly assume the driver was still in control, preventing the safety parking procedure from being triggered.
Just as this case entered legal proceedings, the Dutch Vehicle Authority (RDW) approved Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) assistance system on April 10, becoming the first country in Europe to permit the feature for public roads. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150508
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(Central News Agency, Helsinki, May 8) A man in Finland was found drunk and asleep in a Tesla electric car, relying on its autonomous driving system to travel at high speed on the highway. A police car pulled alongside, honked, and eventually cut in front of the Tesla, gently applying the brakes. The autonomous driving system sensed the vehicle ahead and eventually stopped. The nearly two-minute chase footage has been released, making people hold their breath.
According to "Helsingin Sanomat," the incident occurred last July on National Road 6 within Lappeenranta. While on patrol, police observed a Tesla driving in the left lane for an extended period at a constant speed of 115 km/h, unresponsive to the flashing lights of the police car behind. When officers approached, they found the driver's head slumped forward, fast asleep.
The officers eventually cut their patrol car into the same lane in front of the Tesla and gently applied the brakes. The Tesla's autonomous driving system sensed the decelerating vehicle ahead and slowed down accordingly, eventually coming to a stop. It took several attempts for the officers to wake the man.
The man admitted to drinking before driving and falling asleep on the road. A blood alcohol test showed a concentration of 2.72 per mille, more than five times Finland's legal limit of 0.5 per mille for drunk driving. Although the indictment did not specify how far the vehicle traveled in autonomous driving mode, the danger was self-evident.
The South Karelia District Court formally indicted the man this week on charges of endangering traffic safety and aggravated drunk driving. The police dashcam video was released along with the indictment. The prosecutor is seeking a sentence of approximately four months in prison or community service for the man, with the verdict expected next week.
When the Finnish police first publicized this case last July, they explained how to handle similar situations: if someone is found asleep in a car, follow the vehicle and immediately call the police; do not attempt to stop the car yourself. The police also warned that with the increasing popularity of autonomous driving technology, similar violations are likely to occur more frequently in the future.
Although Tesla's official manual states that if a driver continuously fails to respond to system warnings, the vehicle will sound an alarm, activate hazard lights, and slowly come to a stop. However, in this case, the man's hands were still on the steering wheel while he was asleep, causing the system to continuously receive torque signals and thus mistakenly assume the driver was still in control, preventing the safety parking procedure from being triggered.
Just as this case entered legal proceedings, the Dutch Vehicle Authority (RDW) approved Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) assistance system on April 10, becoming the first country in Europe to permit the feature for public roads. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150508
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Do not drink if you are under 18.
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated instantly.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.