Sleeping Tesla Driver With Children Inside on Trans Canada Highway Prompts 911 Call

A family travelling through British Columbia captured a disturbing scene on the Trans Canada Highway that has sparked fresh concerns about the responsible use of self-driving technology.

While driving between Golden and Revelstoke on Sunday afternoon, Alberta resident Carleigh King and her family noticed what appeared to be a woman asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla…. driving at speeds around 100 km/h on one of the province's busiest highway corridors.

"I did a double, triple, quadruple take, I didn't understand what I was seeing."

The family slowed down, recorded video of what they were witnessing, and immediately called 911. King said Revelstoke RCMP responded quickly after receiving the report.

Making the situation even more alarming, King said there appeared to be two children inside the Tesla.

The family kept their distance while hoping nothing would go wrong.

"The Trans Canada is an incredibly busy stretch of highway," King said, noting the combination of construction zones, wildlife, and unpredictable traffic. "To see somebody fast asleep at the wheel with children in the car was absolutely mind-blowing."

The incident has renewed discussion about what Tesla's driver assistance systems are actually designed to do and how they can legally be used in Canada.

According to B.C. Highway Patrol, fully self-driving vehicles are not permitted on British Columbia roads.

“Those systems are designed to assist drivers, not replace them. You have to be awake, alert, in control, a hand on the wheel, feet near or on the pedals at all times," McLaughlin said.

For King, the experience served as a reminder that no amount of technology can replace an attentive driver, especially on a highway where conditions can change in an instant.

This is one of the stories covered in this week’s Keep Canada Weird news roundup podcast.