'Autopilot driver' who sat in passenger seat is banned for 18 months

[scooterscot]

Technically he wasn't driving in the first place, so how can be the banned from something he wasn't doing? Can the car still drive him from A to B during the ban??

A driver who was filmed sitting in the passenger seat of his car after putting the vehicle into autopilot mode has been banned from driving for 18 months.

Bhavesh Patel, 39, was spotted leaning back with his hands behind his head beside an empty driver’s seat as his Tesla s60 supercar cruised at about 40mph along the M1 motorway near Hemel Hempstead last year.

The driver, from Nottingham, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving after admitting he switched seats when he turned on the car’s autopilot mode, leaving the car’s brakes and steering wheel unmanned.

source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-for-18-months

[SueEllen]

When you have any self-driving modes in your car legally you must be able to take over operation of them if there is an emergency e.g. they fail, someone runs out into the road. This is in the car manufacturers handbook, a requirement of your insurance and the law.

[greenlake]

'Autopilot driver' who sat in passenger seat is banned for 18 months

Perhaps he should ask the court for permission to use his car only on pavements....

[BR14]

Is that the same guy who did the TSB migration?

[woohoo]

Bit worrying that he is also a pilot.

[northernladyuk]

Bit worrying that he is also a pilot.

It's tricky eating a bowl of spaghetti with the steering wheel in the way.

[Snarf]

Can the car still drive him from A to B during the ban??

Auto pilot isnt advanced enough to do that now so I dont see how.

[Darren_Test]

Even if cars are ready for auto pilot driving it will take years to get the road ready for it...

Road need to have proper markings..side road speed limits need to be away from main roads as cars in main road now reads side road speed limits..

[northernladyuk]

Even if cars are ready for auto pilot driving it will take years to get the road ready for it...

Road need to have proper markings..side road speed limits need to be away from main roads as cars in main road now reads side road speed limits..

How do the auto parking capabilities work out in client car parks?

[scooterscot]

Even if cars are ready for auto pilot driving it will take years to get the road ready for it...

Road need to have proper markings..side road speed limits need to be away from main roads as cars in main road now reads side road speed limits..

2018 and UK roads still have potholes the size of Arizona crater. I'd not hold out for those road markings until 2050. It'll take at least two parliaments just to discuss the colour of paint.