A drunk Florida woman was found asleep in her Tesla on a highway after trying to get it to drive her home on autopilot, according to police.
Kimberly Brown, 37, was found passed out behind the wheel of her electric car around 2 a.m. Friday when the autopilot detected her eyes had been closed for too long, leaving it in the middle lane of Interstate 75 in Sarasota, police said.
She was charged with DUI, ABC4 reported.
“This was extremely dangerous,” Florida Highway Patrol trooper Kenn Watson told WWSB.
“She should not have been behind the wheel,” he said. “Unfortunately, she was intoxicated more than two times the legal limit and made the assumption that the Tesla would get her home safely.”
Police said the Tesla’s eye detection feature — which switches off when anyone using autopilot has their eyes closed for too long — was to thank for stopping her dangerous ride.
“They’re actually monitors within the vehicle that make sure that you’re looking forward and will initially warn you,” said Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief of the auto publication Edmunds.com.
“And then ultimately shut down the car and shut down the system if you’re not paying attention.”
The incident remains under investigation, according to police.