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Tesla Safety Driver Appears to Fall Asleep During Robotaxi Ride, Ars Reports

Ars Technica reported that a passenger-posted video appeared to show a Tesla safety driver asleep during a San Francisco ride. The claim the driver nodded off three times came from the passenger.
Entry972 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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A video posted by a San Francisco passenger appears to show a Tesla safety driver asleep in the front seat while the car was moving, according to Ars Technica’s November 18, 2025 report. The passenger said the driver fell asleep three times; that detail is the passenger’s account, not an independently confirmed finding.

What Ars Technica reported

Ars identified the passenger as Reddit user “ohmichael,” who posted a 12-second clip. The outlet described the video as appearing to show a man sleeping and then waking in the front seat of a moving Tesla. The ride took place in San Francisco, a little over a week before the article was published; Ars did not give an exact ride date.

The claim that the driver fell asleep three times came from the passenger, as relayed by Ars. The outlet also reported that the passenger said they had reported the conduct to Tesla and had not received a response by publication. That is the passenger’s account, not a company-confirmed response history. Ars separately mentioned another Reddit commenter’s allegation that the same driver had fallen asleep on a different trip; that claim was not independently verified in the report.

What the incident account does—and does not—establish

The available account is a rider’s social-media post and video described by a news outlet. It does not establish an independent investigation, a regulator’s finding, Tesla’s response, or why the person appeared to be asleep. The report uses “sleeping at the wheel” as a description; it should not be read as an official determination.

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Ars said it contacted Tesla and was awaiting a response when the article was published. Its report also said Tesla Robotaxi LLC held a California DMV permit to test autonomous cars on public roads with a safety driver, but did not hold California Public Utilities Commission permits for autonomous vehicles. Ars said those CPUC permits were required to test or deploy an autonomous vehicle with or without a safety driver onboard. Those statements describe the reported California permit status in November 2025, not necessarily the status today.

Why the safety-driver distinction matters

The term “robotaxi” does not by itself establish how much of the driving task a vehicle performs or what responsibility a human occupant has. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration distinguishes driver-assistance systems from automated driving systems by the driving task and the system’s operating limits.

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NHTSA’s guidance says, “At this time, even the highest level of driving automation available to consumers requires the full engagement and undivided attention of drivers.” It also says, “There is no vehicle currently available for sale that is fully automated or ‘self-driving.’” The latter statement concerns vehicles available for sale to consumers in the United States; it does not rule out limited testing or commercial deployments. NHTSA says states allow a limited number of automated vehicles to conduct testing, research, and pilot programs on public streets, and that the agency monitors safety through its Standing General Order. See NHTSA’s Automated Vehicle Safety guidance.

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What riders can do if they need help

Tesla’s current Robotaxi support page says riders can request a pull-over through the app or touchscreen. The vehicle is then supposed to stop at the nearest and safest location, and support may call through the cabin system. The page directs riders to emergency services in an emergency.

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Tesla’s current Cybercab rider guide describes a two-way onboard communication device, cabin audio that may be transmitted to Tesla when a rider initiates a support request or a safety event is automatically detected, and possible operator review of a short recording around such an event. It also describes a cabin camera used for support or occupancy detection and operator assistance in an emergency. These are current Cybercab materials; they do not establish what equipment or procedures applied to the Model Y ride described in the 2025 report.

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