Sleeping driver in self-driving vehicle woken up, stopped and charged in Ottawa

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Provincial police in Ottawa said they stopped and charged a sleeping driver in a self-driving vehicle on Highway 417 during rush hour Tuesday.

Provincial police in Ottawa said they stopped and charged a sleeping driver who had the self-driving mode activated in their vehicle on Highway 417 during rush hour Tuesday.

The driver faces a careless driving charge, according to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

"Even though your vehicle has an autonomous driving feature, drivers are still required to pay due care and attention when behind the wheel," OPP wrote on social media on Wednesday.

Const. Michael Fathi told CBC News drivers have to be able to take control of a car with a self-driving feature if there's a malfunction or other emergency.

"The same driving laws apply to you when using driver assistance technologies. Even if your vehicle is equipped with driver assistance technology, always keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel," according to Ontario Ministry of Transportation guidelines.

"You are responsible for any traffic incidents or collisions, not the advanced driver assistance systems features."

The officer didn't use sirens to wake the driver and pull them over, Fathi said. Rather, they had pulled very close to get evidence on a body camera and it's possible that triggered an alert in the driver's Tesla.

Fathi said he believes it's the first time the Ottawa OPP detachment has charged a motorist with sleeping in a self-driving vehicle.

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