Current self-driving vehicle technology — at least at the consumer level — is a bit of a misnomer in that the cars aren’t fully driving themselves, so much as providing an advanced level of driving assistance. Tesla’s own autopilot support page notes that, despite “Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability” being listed as features, the car isn’t actually autonomous and that these systems are “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment.”
So no, you should absolutely not sleep when behind the wheel of a self-driving vehicle. One day, the technology may reach the point where we can climb into a seat, tell the car where we want to go, then take a nap (as in 1994’s “Timecop,” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme). But today is not that day, fully self-driving cars are still in the future, and sleeping behind the wheel would be exceedingly dangerous to everyone in the car, and anyone on the road surrounding it.
Even if you get lucky and don’t end up in an accident, there’s some uncertainty over the legal ramifications. At best, depending on the state and local legislation, you could be fined for reckless driving if found out. And if the worst were to happen, the penalties would likely be far, far steeper.
