Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot crashes into police car

The driver of a Tesla put the car on Autopilot to check on his dog in the back but crashed it into a stationary police car and another vehicle in Connecticut, US.

According to reports in BBC, the police car was parked behind the broken down vehicle and had its blue lights flashing as it waited for a tow truck. Both the police car and the other vehicle were stationary at the time of the incident. 

The driver of Tesla Model 3 told police that the vehicle was on Autopilot when it hit the rear of the police car on Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut, in the early hours of Saturday. The Tesla, which starts from £42,000 in the UK and $36,000 in the US, however did not halt and continued travelling forward, leading it to hit the car in front of the police vehicle.

Police said no one was injured. Connecticut State Police took to Facebook to warn drivers using Autopilot. Part of their post on Facebook read: 'Regardless of your vehicle's capabilities, when operating a vehicle your full attention is required at all times to ensure safe driving'. 

The Tesla driver was charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment. While, Tesla did not immediately respond to the accident. However, the firm does not recommend that drivers remove their hands from the wheel while using the Autopilot feature, reports stated.