A similar incident occurred on August 11 in North Vancouver, where another Tesla driver was caught on video sleeping at the wheel and received the same $368 fine for the same offence.

British Columbia’s Motor Vehicle Act expressly bans the use of highly automated self‑driving vehicles on public roads, meaning that even when a car’s driver‑assist features are active the driver must remain alert, engaged and in control, according to the provincial Ministry of Transportation and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

BCHP Sgt. Michael McLaughlin explained that officers prioritized the safety of the sleeping drivers over other calls after confirming that the motorists were not holding the wheel and had their eyes shut, reinforcing the province’s zero‑tolerance stance on driver inattentiveness.

Fred Lambert, editor‑in‑chief of Electrek, warned that Tesla’s driver‑monitoring system, which is supposed to prevent a driver from falling asleep, can be easily bypassed, and that some users are becoming complacent as the technology advances.

These fines demonstrate how BC’s strict legal framework and active policing aim to curb the safety risks associated with sleeping behind the wheel, even in vehicles equipped with advanced assistance systems.