A man from Djursholm has been convicted by Uppsala District Court for using a self-driving Tesla without a valid driver's license. The man, in his 40s, had his license revoked but continued to use his Tesla on three occasions, traveling on E18 and Route 55 within a few hours. According to court documents, the man claimed he was not driving because the car was autonomous - he only entered the destination and let the vehicle drive itself.
He argued that he could have sat in the back seat but chose the driver's seat to control the music. Uppsala District Court rejected this defense, stating that the man had set the vehicle in motion, interacted with its control systems, and therefore should be classified as the driver under Swedish traffic law. The court noted that whether he had his hands on the steering wheel during the journey was irrelevant.
he was not driving because the car was autonomous - he only entered the destination and let the vehicle drive itself
The man was sentenced to 100 day fines totaling 5,000 kronor for three counts of aggravated unauthorized driving. Additionally, his Tesla has been confiscated and will be forfeited.
he could have sat in the back seat but chose the driver's seat to control the music