A Tesla owner who drove on M50 “hands-off” has been cleared of dangerous driving after a court heard he activated the car’s Autopilot system, reports RTE.
Noel Bourke, 37, of Bramley Hall, Diswellstown Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin 15, who pleaded not guilty, was stopped on the motorway on the afternoon of March 22, 2021.
The defence admitted that he was driving without hands.
However, he testified that he observed the vehicle’s Autopilot driver assistance system and explained in detail how it operated.
A mechanical engineer working for a company that makes military products and devices for autonomous vehicles has been acquitted after a controversial trial before Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court.
Garda Colin McCluskey told the court that he and a colleague were driving on the M50 when he saw a Tesla car travelling north near the Ballymun junction at 2.05pm.
Garda McCluskey said: “I looked to my left and two lanes across, I observed a male. He had his arms folded at the time, high across his chest, quite high, almost to his chin. It was quite obvious,” reports RTE.
Gardai stopped him and asked what he was doing and he replied: “I was using autopilot.”
Garda McCluskey then warned Mr Bourke not to drive with his hands on the wheel.
He testified that the accused covered a considerable distance in this way and that there was heavy traffic on the highway at that time.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.