A teenager who thought she had passed her driving test ultimately failed because the RDW labelled the vehicle she took the test in as ‘too advanced’.
The teen, whose name has not been released, was driving her family’s Tesla Model Y in Arizona.
After completing the test, the novice driver thought she had passed, but she was told she had to return to the RDW the next day to finalize matters.
When she returned, she was told she had failed. The examiner thought she had relied too much on the car’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) function and that she had not used the brake pedal enough.
A Tesla with full self-driving mode can automatically brake in certain situations, such as at traffic lights and stop signs.
A teen who thought she had passed her driving test ended up failing after the DMV deemed the vehicle she took the test in as “too advanced”
“If we don’t know she can brake with the brake pedal, how do we know she can drive a car that isn’t a Tesla?” an official with the Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDOT) said, according to the father’s post on Reddit.
Despite the family’s explanation that the car did not have FSD engaged and that the car’s regenerative braking system was responsible for the limited use of the brake pedal.
Regenerative braking, a feature common to many electric cars, allows the car to automatically slow down when the driver releases the accelerator pedal, reducing the need for traditional braking.
The AZDOT refused to reconsider the test results. One DMV official even suggested that Teslas could be banned from future testing because of their “excessive safety features.”
After some prodding, the Arizona DMV eventually relented and reversed its decision to give the teen her license, but the agency did say it may reevaluate how it tests Tesla drivers in the future.
As electric vehicles, including Teslas, become more common, driving instructors may need to adjust their testing methods. For example, candidates may need to disable all automatic braking features to ensure drivers can demonstrate manual steering.
The family insisted that the car did not have full self-driving mode and that the car’s regenerative braking system was responsible for the limited use of the brake pedal
The teenager’s father was frustrated by the situation and pointed out that drivers of cars with automatic transmissions do not have to prove they can operate a manual transmission during their test, but they still get their license.
Readers of the Reddit thread shared similar stories after taking tests in a Tesla, noting that there appears to be a growing gap between modern electric vehicles (EVs) and traditional driving tests.
“My girlfriend failed because she used the rear view cameras while reversing,” one user wrote.
‘The RDW has not kept up with the times and does not know how to deal with electric vehicles,’ suggested another.
Not everyone seemed to sympathize with the family.
“If she ever has to drive a regular car again, will she know how to brake properly?” one asked, while another agreed with the DMV’s assessment.
“They want to make sure you know how to brake, especially in an emergency.”
Some suggested introducing a simple solution to the driving test, requiring drivers to turn off features such as regenerative braking and lane-keeping systems during their driving test.
This ensures that new drivers can perform simple manual tasks, such as braking and parking, without assistance.