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Don't Do These Things While Driving On Tesla Autopilot

Tesla Autopilot is smarter than some people think, but some argue it should police people even more.

tesla autopilot donts

Steven Loveday Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

May 10, 2020 at 9:22pm ET

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Tesla owner and YouTuber Jeremy Judkins explores what happens when you upset Tesla Autopilot. Basically, he does things you're clearly not supposed to do in order to see how the Autopilot technology reacts and handles the situation. Don't worry, Judkins isn't putting himself or others in harm's way. He's just testing the impact of various actions on Autopilot's alert and disengagement systems.

Tesla Autopilot has safety features in place so you can't do things like remove your seat belt or open your door while driving. It also wants you engaged (hands on the wheel). If you fail to put your hands on the wheel, the system will punish you. You also can't exceed 90 mph. We did learn the other day that you can take your butt out of the seat, though, and the car will continue driving for a time. Hopefully, Tesla can fix this by linking the system to the airbag sensor.

More Tesla Autopilot Coverage:

Why Did Autopilot Decide To Merge Tesla Model Y Into This Car?

Will Tesla Autopilot Hit A Dog, A Human Or A Traffic Cone?

Sadly, some Tesla owners wish for Autopilot to be less intrusive. They're irritated by the system's prompts, warnings, and limits. Some have even gone so far as to try to override the system to get it to stop nagging them. It's important to understand that this is a beta system, and these safety features are there for a reason.

Having fewer warnings and limits would be fine in a car that's actually fully autonomous, but it's not fine in a Tesla, which is officially labeled as Level 2 autonomy, and arguably only just approaching Level 3 autonomy. This basically means it can take over all driving functions, but only under certain circumstances. The driver still needs to be aware and ready to engage.

Judkins shows us exactly what happens when you break Autopilot's rules. We're glad the technology has such safety systems in place. However, we argue that there should be more. A whole lot can happen on the road in 30 seconds. Even though Autopilot warns and disengages, it may not be enough to save someone, though, in the end, it is the driver's fault if they're making stupid choices like driving too fast, not staying engaged, removing their seat belt, opening the door, and ignoring the system's warnings.

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Video Description via Jeremy Judkins on YouTube:

DON'T DO THIS While Driving a Tesla on Autopilot

Ever wonder what happens when you open your door while on auto pilot, or take off your seat belt, or go over 90 MPH ? Keep watching.

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