Tesla driver filmed in deep sleep as his vehicle speeds down busy turnpike (VIDEO)

A Tesla driver was filmed in an apparent deep sleep behind the wheel as his vehicle drove down the busy Massachusetts Turnpike, shocking a fellow motorist who captured the bizarre and dangerous moment on video.

Tesla drivers using the autopilot function are supposed to keep their hands on the wheel at all times, but the man in the video did not appear to be following that rule. In fact, he was slumped forward with his chin on his chest as his Model X vehicle sped down the road in Newton at about 3pm on Sunday.  

“I’d never seen something so bizarre,” eyewitness Dakota Randall told Boston 25 News. “I thought I saw someone asleep at the wheel, so I did a double take and sure enough there was a guy with his head between his legs totally passed out.”

Randall beeped his horn in an effort to wake the slumbering man up, but had no luck. He then decided to film the strange sight as he drove alongside the tuckered-out motorist, consequently earning himself a barrage of criticism for using his phone while driving. 

“I’ll own that one,” he said, explaining that he was compelled to capture the moment as he had “never seen anything like it before.” He shared the video on Twitter where it racked up over 470,000 views. 

The Massachusetts State Police didn’t receive any calls about the dangerous incident and Tesla has refused to comment on the video.

The company says that its autopilot function is a driver assistance system and requires drivers to be attentive.

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