A driver who crossed his arms while using Tesla's autopilot function was charged with dangerous driving but was acquitted.

In a trial in which a man was charged with dangerous driving after using the autopilot feature installed in his Tesla car but keeping his hands crossed and his hands off the steering wheel, John John of Dublin District Court was charged with dangerous driving.・Judge Hughes acquitted the man, saying, ``It's best to have both hands on the steering wheel.''

Tesla owner who drove with 'arms folded' on autopilot on M50 cleared of dangerous driving – The Irish Times

In March 2021, Officer Colin McCluskey of the Irish Police Service was driving along the M50 motorway with a colleague when he saw a driver in the left lane driving empty-handed, without his hands on the steering wheel. I stopped it.

The driver was Noel Burke, an engineer for a company that manufactures military products and auto parts, and when Officer McCluskey asked him what he was doing, he explained, ``I was using Autopilot.'' Did.

According to Officer McCluskey, Mr. Burke had his arms folded in a way that could be seen from outside the window, so he warned him to ``keep his hands on the steering wheel when driving.''

Asked during the trial if he could react in the same way as someone behind the wheel when something unexpected happens, Burke replied, 'I don't know.'

When asked by Judge Hughes, ``Do you accept that it is better to use both hands on the steering wheel to control a vehicle?'' he answered, ``I think so.''

As a result of the hearing, Judge Hughes stated, ``It is true that when driving a car, it is better to have both hands on the steering wheel,'' but Mr. Burke also monitored whether the autopilot function was working properly. Based on the manner in which Mr. Burke was driving at the time and the amount of traffic in the area, it was determined that Mr. Burke was not in a position to pose a direct danger to others. Burke was found not guilty of dangerous driving, which is based on the premise that there is a 'serious direct danger to others.'

In addition, the California Attorney General's Office has begun an investigation as there are doubts about the safety of Tesla's autopilot function.