Man ‘asleep’ in speeding self-driving car charged

OTTAWA: A driver who allegedly set his car to autopilot and then took a nap as it broke the speed limit on a rural Canadian highway has been charged with dangerous driving, police said.

The incident took place near the town of Ponoka in Alberta province, the local force said in a tweet on Thursday. "The car appeared to be self-driving, travelling over 140 km/h with both front seats completely reclined & occupants appeared to be asleep," it said.

According to Canadian public broadcaster CBC, the car was an electric Tesla model set to autopilot and the man charged was 20 years old. The speed limit on that section of the highway is 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph), it added.