Driver spots Tesla in shocking highway law: ‘Permit revoked’

Zooming across a busy highway with every window completely blocked may seem like a nightmare to some, but that’s exactly the scene one bewildered electric vehicle driver caught on camera earlier this week.

The US-based driver captured a red Tesla Model 3 driving along California’s Interstate 80 in fully autonomous mode, with the occupant – if there was one – completely hidden from view. Every bit of exterior glass is obstructed apart from the rear window, with the electric vehicle owner seemingly doing their utmost to keep out the sun and the wandering eyes of other drivers.

After the footage was uploaded to social media, people around the world expressed shock, with some calling the sight ‘laughable’ due to the obvious safety risks.

A Tesla highway video stuns global motorists

In the video, the windshield is completely covered by a reflective sunshade, while the rear passenger windows are also covered in paper. “I can’t believe I just saw this on the highway,” the poster wrote next to the vision. Unsurprisingly, those who responded voiced their thoughts.

“That’s it. License revoked for life. Car towed,” one person commented. “That’s laughable, our country doesn’t care about bad drivers,” said another. One person wondered why the Tesla owner “didn’t just get tinted windows,” before another jumped in and speculated that they were “trying to sleep.”

On the other end of the spectrum, some praised the vehicle’s handling characteristics. “This car drives better than half the people on the road,” one person wrote.

“Yes, to be fair the Tesla drove fine. Much better than the average driver,” echoed a second.

Australia and Tesla’s controversial self-driving capabilities

Although controversial, Tesla’s autonomous driving capabilities are legal in the US, depending on the state (not California), and some features are also available in Australia.

Tesla’s Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y all feature advanced autonomous driving capabilities through their Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems. These systems rely on a combination of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radar and AI-powered software to navigate roads, manage speed and perform tasks such as lane changing, parking and even highway merging.

Autopilot handles tasks such as adaptive cruise control and lane centering, while FSD focuses on more advanced functions such as automated city driving. Tesla says it regularly updates these systems through over-the-air software updates, “continually improving their capabilities.”

Tesla’s autopilot features are available here in Australia, including basic autopilot (including traffic-aware cruise control and automatic steering). However, FSD options are limited depending on the jurisdiction.

Some advanced FSD features, such as automatic city driving and traffic light recognition, are not yet fully legal here. Tesla owners in Australia can still purchase FSD, but the full suite of features is awaiting regulatory approval.

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