But it’s likely that either Autopilot or “Full Self-Driving” were in operation for the driver to be in the back seat. Tesla has a system to monitor drivers to make sure they’re paying attention by detecting force from hands on the steering wheel. Consumer Reports said in April that it was able to trick a Tesla into driving in Autopilot mode with no one at the wheel. In March, a Tesla official also told California regulators that “Full Self-Driving” was a driver-assist system that requires monitoring by humans. Sharma’s comments suggest he is among a number of Tesla drivers who rely too much on the company’s driving systems, Duke's Cummings said.

Source: ABC News May 12, 2021 15:22 UTC