Multiple outlets report that some Chinese Tesla owners are using do-it-yourself devices to defeat the car’s driver-monitoring systems tied to Autopilot. The reported tactics include placing tiny plastic doll heads, printed photos, or other small objects in front of the vehicle’s driver-facing cameras and adding blinking screens or similar visual cues meant to suggest the driver is looking ahead and attentive. Wired describes a broader “cottage industry” of such consumer gadgets, including figurines and screens, that are sold or shared as workarounds for Tesla’s safeguards against distracted driving. Digital Trends similarly reports that drivers use miniature doll heads and related visual elements to trick Autopilot’s monitoring sensors.
The articles focus on how these methods attempt to spoof the camera-based attention checks rather than claiming a permanent or universal bypass. They also raise the broader issue of how easily consumer-facing visual tricks can undermine automated safety systems that rely on observing driver behavior. The reports reflect ongoing competition between automated monitoring and user attempts to circumvent it.
