Yes they weighted the seats, slipped out from a seatbelt, and weighted the steering wheel.

Newer software released in the last couple months also adds some kind of gaze tracking using the interior camera - because the car now alerts constantly if I am looking at my phone and will disengage auto-pilot and put me in the penalty box if I keep doing it. I don’t know how that tech would react if it didn’t see a human in the drivers seat at all, but I imagine ultimately that will be another safety measure. Tesla has a lot of incentive to cut down on these types of pranks.

For those that don’t know, disengage keeps autopilot running but with an extremely annoying alarm and massive red warning on the display, and as soon as you take over the penalty box means you can’t re-engage “AutoPilot(TM)” until the next drive.

There is another way to get it to stop alarming. Don't look at your phone while you're driving.

Please don't look at your phone while actively driving.

Thank you, I know that. I’m just explaining how I know the technology works, which is interesting and relevant in this context, not looking for driving tips.

But you bring up a great point! Very interestingly, the current version of the software will alert just as much and in exactly the same way when it detects the driver looking at their phone, whether the car is at a complete stop or driving freely down the highway.

> whether the car is at a complete stop or driving freely down the highway.

I’ve seen the police on off ramps looking for people texting or whatever while they are stopped to give them tickets.

Not that it matters in the context of TFA but in certain (most?) jurisdictions it isn’t legal at all.

My comment was more condescending then I intended, I appreciate the additional context.

One guy had this foot on the wheel from the back seat. Not sure how/if they defeat the face/eye detection.

that was old tech, and it's not part of the BETA topic is about