Taking the test to get our driver’s license is something that everyone does at least once in their life. However, with the advent of driver aids and assists, the actual act of driving is becoming less stressful with time. Many companies offer features like cruise control and lane assist, with a few companies adding certain features like radar-guided cruise control and steering assist. Among these companies, Tesla is at the forefront. The amount of driver assists offered by Tesla is very high. The car can practically drive itself on the highways with minimal driver input. While it isn’t recommended to use these assists without paying full attention to the road, it is possible to do that.
Man attempts to give Driver’s Test using Tesla Autopilot
In a video uploaded to YouTube, a man has tried to give his driving test while using Autopilot features. He had to take the test because he was caught speeding, and decided that this would be a fun experiment. While it isn’t advisable to do this, it is a rather fascinating experiment. The man took his test in a Model 3. The car has Tesla Autopilot features which he used to “cheat” on the test. The driving instructor did the physical checks of the car before getting in and asking the man to start driving.
When they got to the highway, the man engaged the Autopilot system. Since it is possible to switch the system on with a single tug to a lever, it is quite easy to do this discreetly. To add to the discretion, the lever is located right behind the steering wheel. When the instructor asked the man to take a turn, he immediately took back control of the car. The system makes a beep sound every time it is engaged and disengaged. However, this sound is similar to the sounds of other features like traction control. This makes the sound less suspicious. Whenever the man got a chance, he engaged the Autopilot system. Due to the subtle way in which the system can be engaged, it is easy to miss this action if someone isn’t explicitly trying to spot it.
Later, using the turn indicators and the GPS, the man got the car to take a turn for him. Since his hands were on the wheel the entire time, it isn’t possible to know that he is not the one who is steering. The driver even used the lane-change assist on multiple occasions. Instead of turning the wheel himself, he switched the indicator on and the car did the rest.
Did he pass?
Fortunately/Unfortunately he didn’t. The instructor asked him in the end what the beep and the blue light on the display were. When the man got tongue-tied, the instructor asked if it was a driver assist or cruise control. The man told him that it was a kind of driver-assist system. Due to this, the man was failed. Since the driving test is designed to test purely the driver’s ability, the fact that he used the assist meant that he infringed the rules of the test.
Can anybody do this?
Everybody who owns a car that has a feature similar to this could in theory do this. However, they absolutely should not do it. Not only is it wrong, but it could also potentially end your chances of getting a license. If the driver assist system is a bit more discreet you may get away with it, but it would be a misuse of the features that are provided in the car. Then there is the factor that the driving test isn’t really that hard to require such assists. However, with the development of FSD (Full Self Driving), you could probably just send your car to take the test for you! Now if someone does try that, I would surely want to watch how it unfolds.
