---
title: "U.K. Man Loses License for Abusing Autopilot in His Tesla"
description: "There's not knowing the right way to use Tesla's autopilot, and then there's not caring."
date: "2018-04-29"
modified: "2018-04-29"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/20491/u-k-man-loses-license-for-abusing-autopilot-in-his-tesla"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Self-Driving Tech"
  - "Tesla News"
tags:
  - "autonomous driving"
  - "Autopilot"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "Tesla"
  - "United Kingdom"
---

# U.K. Man Loses License for Abusing Autopilot in His Tesla

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/04/gettyimages-829915188-e1524960529228.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

A British man has lost his driving license for abusing his Tesla Model S's autopilot [semi-autonomous driving mode](<https://www.thedrive.com/self-driving-cars/15724/what-are-these-levels-of-autonomy-anyway>).

*[Telegraph](<https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/28/tesla-owner-turned-cars-autopilot-sat-passenger-seat-travelling/>)* reports that in the evening of May 21, 2017, 39-year-old Bhavesh Patel activated autopilot while on the country's M1 highway, and clambered across the Tesla's cabin to stretch out in the passenger seat, leaving the wheel and pedals unattended in heavy traffic. Those with whom he shared the road noticed a conspicuously driverless Tesla, filmed the incident, and alerted authorities.

Patel, in an interview with police at a later date, described his behavior as "silly," but justified it by calling the car "amazing," and referring to himself as the "unlucky one who got caught."

For his recklessness, Patel was issued an 18-month ban from driving, in addition to having his driver's license revoked. One hundred hours of community service, 10 days of "rehabilitation," and a fine of 1,800 pounds ($2,480) was also imposed.

Autopilot remains a controversial subject in transportation, legal, and technological circles. The driver aid system is mistaken by many for a fully-autonomous system in need of neither input nor attention, resulting in regular misuse. In 2017, a Model S driver [ignored the system's warnings](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/11690/driver-in-fatal-tesla-autopilot-accident-got-several-warnings-before-crash>) prior to the crash that took his life. In March, the situation repeated itself, when [an Autopilot-controlled Model X crashed into a highway divider](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19801/tesla-admits-autopilot-was-active-in-fatal-model-x-crash>), killing its driver.

Both casualties occurred as a result of drivers diverting their attention from the road, despite Tesla's urging that drivers remain vigilant. Some even seek to [disable the autopilot's warning systems](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/18168/people-keep-coming-up-with-ways-to-fool-teslas-autopilot>) for their own convenience. What is evident is that some people are not yet responsible enough to be trusted with autopilot or comparable driver assists, and [until technology can account for human folly, we may be better off without it entirely](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/20082/the-half-life-of-danger-the-truth-behind-the-tesla-model-x-crash>).

## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)