Elderly man filmed fast asleep behind wheel of hulking Tesla Cybertruck as it barrels down California highway

By RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:08, 20 May 2026 | Updated: 16:13, 20 May 2026 An elderly Tesla Cybertruck driver was caught on camera sleeping behind the wheel as his vehicle drove down a California highway. Footage sent to KRON and posted on social media showed the unidentified man dozing off while his EV appeared to be in self-driving mode. The incident reportedly occurred along Highway 101 in Marin County around 4pm on Saturday. The Daily Mail contacted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) for more information about the incident. Cybertrucks come equipped with Tesla’s 'Full Self-Driving' system which autonomously handles steering, lane changes, parking and navigating city streets and highways. Self-driving mode requires users 'to pay attention to the road and be ready to take over at all times' according to the Cybertruck owner's manual. 'Remain attentive, be mindful of road conditions and surrounding traffic, pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists, and always be prepared to take immediate action,' the manual states. Incidents of people sleeping while driving their Tesla vehicles have become more common as self-driving technology has become more ubiquitous. An elderly Tesla Cybertruck driver was caught on camera sleeping behind the wheel View this post on Instagram On March 8, an elderly man and a female passenger were recorded sleeping in a Tesla as it drove down another California highway. The bystander who captured the footage and sent it to KRON said the ordeal occurred on Highway 4 in the Bay Area city of Pittsburg. Days earlier, a female Tesla driver was seen sleeping behind the wheel on the 10 Freeway in Colton, near San Bernardino, on March 1. Footage obtained by ABC 7 showed a busy freeway on a sunny day with the driver, who appeared to be alone, in a white Tesla. Like in this most recent incident, someone recorded this as it unfolded. That person called the police immediately. Officers from CHP were dispatched to the area, but were unable to find the driver. Sleeping behind the wheel of a self-driving car is illegal in the Golden State, and CHP told the local news station it violates 'basic speed law.'  'Regardless of any special features a vehicle may possess, such as autopilot or fully autonomous capabilities, drivers are still responsible for the vehicle they are operating,' CHP said. On March 8, an elderly man and a female passenger were recorded sleeping in a Tesla as it drove down another California highway Cybertrucks come equipped with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, but requires users 'to pay attention to the road and be ready to take over at all times' Days earlier, a female Tesla driver was seen sleeping behind the wheel on the 10 Freeway in Colton, near San Bernardino, on March 1 'If a driver is asleep behind the wheel, they are in violation of California's basic speed law. It is unsafe to operate/drive a vehicle at any speed while asleep behind the wheel.' The Daily Mail has contacted Tesla for comment.  A video that went viral late last year caught another person sleeping in the driver's seat of a red Tesla. The footage, posted on Reddit, showed the driver cruising down the freeway at around 2pm on August 22. In the clip, the sleeping driver also appeared to have a neck pillow behind her head. Others have been more brazen. In May 2021, Param Sharma was arrested in Oakland, California, for sitting in the back seat of his Tesla Model 3 while it was driving. California Highway Patrol was alerted to Sharma's stunts after someone posted a video of him doing the same thing. The then-25-year-old showed no remorse and said in an interview that he actually believed it was safer for him to be in the back seat. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.