Despite creating, enforcing, and applying the law, some politicians, police officers, and judges are absolutely clueless about technology. That’s terrifying and it can have important implications.
With that in mind, Noel Bourke was driving a Tesla on an Irish motorway in March of 2021. He was reportedly pulled over for not having his hands on the steering wheel and told police he was “using Autopilot.”
The officer told Bourke to keep his hands on the wheel as he was reportedly “concerned that the man could not control the car if he had to swerve, adding that holding the steering wheel gave stability to the car and the driver’s body.” The latter statement is kind of perplexing and the owner was apparently ticketed for dangerous driving.
More: Tesla Model 3 Driver Pulled Over For Having “Computer Mounted” On The Dashboard
The case recently went to court and The Irish Times reports that Bourke had to explain how the Autopilot system worked and note he was monitoring its operation, so he could take over if needed. The publication says police didn’t find the driving dangerous, per se, but they were apparently concerned something bad could happen.
While that’s just a brief overview of the case, the paper said “Judge Hughes remarked that while having two hands on the wheel was optimal, he believed the accused was truthful and accepted Mr. Bourke was monitoring the Autopilot system.” The case was dismissed, in part, due to the lack of traffic and there not being a “direct risk” to other people.
Tesla says “Autopilot enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane,” but requires supervision as it’s not a fully-autonomous driving system. Furthermore, the company notes Basic Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving are a “hands-on feature” and drivers should keep their “hands on the steering wheel at all times and be mindful of road conditions, surrounding traffic, and other road users.”
