A passenger says they were left stunned after the “safety” driver assigned to supervise a Tesla Robotaxi allegedly fell asleep repeatedly during their ride. Although Tesla promotes its robotaxi fleet as capable of autonomous operation, California regulations still require a trained human operator in the driver’s seat to intervene if the system encounters an unexpected situation.

According to the passenger’s account, the trip started like any other. They had used the service several times in San Francisco and usually felt safer than in a typical rideshare. But this time, things took an alarming turn. Shortly after the ride began, the rider noticed the driver’s head drooping forward — and then fully nodding off. It happened not just once, but three separate times, each instance interrupted only when the vehicle’s “pay attention” alert chimed loudly enough to jolt the driver awake.

The rider shared the experience on Reddit, explaining that they immediately filed a report through Tesla’s support system and even mentioned they had video evidence. However, more than a week passed without any response, prompting them to go public with the footage and ask whether others had experienced anything similar. Their post quickly gained traction.

Several commenters claimed they recognized the same driver. One user said they had reported him weeks earlier after a morning commute where he appeared to drift in and out of sleep for nearly an hour. Another wrote that they would have shouted to wake the driver instantly, unable to imagine sitting silently while the person responsible for safety dozed off. A different commenter suggested the problem may stem from overwork, noting that although these supervisors are trained test drivers, the long hours and passive nature of the job make fatigue a real threat.

Experts have previously warned that semi-autonomous systems can create dangerous conditions when humans are required to supervise without actively driving. When people aren’t fully engaged, their attention naturally drifts — making them less prepared to react in emergencies. These concerns echo issues raised years ago during earlier autonomous-vehicle trials, including Waymo’s phased approach before transitioning to fully driverless operations.

Under Tesla’s current California DMV testing permit, a human must remain behind the wheel at all times when robotaxi vehicles operate on public roads. The rule is designed to guarantee a last line of defense — but the incident has renewed debate about whether human supervisors can reliably stay alert during long stretches where the car handles nearly all driving tasks.

The driver is there to take over if things go wrong with the autonomous car (Tim Goessman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Tesla has not yet issued a public statement addressing the specific driver involved, nor commented on whether the company is investigating. Meanwhile, the video continues circulating online, raising questions about training standards, fatigue management, and whether semiautonomous ride services can safely scale without stricter oversight.

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Sources: Electrek; SF Chronicle; Futurism; The Daily Dot; Road & Track.