A Tesla that a driver said was in auto-pilot hit the back of a police car that was stopped on Interstate 95 in Norwalk early Saturday morning.
State police responded to I-95 northbound at exit 15 in Norwalk in the early morning hours after getting a report that a disabled vehicle was in the left center lane.
Both troopers on scene were stopped behind the disabled vehicle with their emergency lights activated. There was an additional flare pattern behind them, state police said.
While state police were waiting for a tow truck for the disabled vehicle, authorities said a Tesla driving northbound hit the back of one of the police cars and then continued north and hit the disabled vehicle.
The Tesla continued to slowly drive northbound before the driver was stopped several hundred feet ahead by the second trooper at the scene, state police added.
The driver of the Tesla told state police that he had his vehicle on "auto-pilot" and explained he was checking on his dog in the back seat before the collision, according to troopers.
Police issued the driver a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
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No serious injuries were reported.
"While autonomous vehicles are an exciting development, the tech is simply not ready to be deployed safely. Congress must act to protect the public from these vehicles until their safety can be assured," Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement.
State police remind drivers that regardless of your vehicle's capabilities, your full attention is required at all times when driving a vehicle to ensure safe driving.
