“I’m a Passenger Princess”: Woman Travels in Car With No Driver Leaving SA Stunned

• A content creator on TikTok shared a video that shows her sipping a drink while sitting in the passenger seat of a moving car with no one in the driver's seat
• The mysterious empty driver's seat sparked debate among South Africans, with many wondering if she owned a self-driving car
• South Africa is currently unfit for self-driving cars as legislation only accommodates automation up to Level 1, and the government confirmed policy changes would be necessary

A South African woman left netizens puzzled when she shared a video of herself travelling in a car with no one behind the steering wheel.

Content creator @sinenhlanhlangubane posted the clip showing herself casually sipping a drink from a plastic cup while seated in the passenger seat. The car appears to be moving, and the steering wheel can be seen turning, but there's no driver mysteriously. She suggested she was being chauffeured, despite the empty driver's seat, captioning the video:

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"Passenger princess."

Watch the TikTok clip below.

Is this a self-driving car

At first glance, viewers suspected the content creator owned a modern self-driving vehicle. However, in South Africa such technology isn't yet widespread. A more likely explanation is that her car had broken down and was being towed, which would explain the vehicle's movement and the turning steering wheel without anyone driving it.

Many viewers commented on the video, expressing their surprise and confusion about how the car could be moving on its own. While some wondered if it was a Tesla, others quickly pointed out that it was most likely being towed.

South Africa currently isn't ready for autonomous or self-driving cars, as the country lacks the necessary regulations and infrastructure. While autonomous vehicles are becoming more common overseas, the government must introduce specific policies before they can be used locally.

In 2019, the Minister of Transport confirmed that laws would need to change before driverless cars could be allowed. Currently, South African legislation only supports Level 1 automation, where the driver remains fully in control but can use certain automated features like cruise control.

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For higher levels of automation, several challenges must be addressed, including insurance policies, road conditions, and digital infrastructure like satellite communication. The National Road Traffic Act would also need major updates to determine who is responsible in case of an accident involving a self-driving vehicle.

South Africans react to the driverless car video

@Olaotse Shane Tau joked:

"Your spiritual husband is driving 🤞🏽"

@azwilakh admitted:

"I have trust issues. Mina, I even count money from the ATM, so I can't trust a self-driving car with my life."

@Edwin Kabelo offered a simple explanation:

"Towing!"

@Clipper Kgotso Mmutle was shocked:

"😳 Ah ah ah mo ke tokoloshi😅😅"

@Seleke Botsime sympathised:

"Eish stress, you acting cool while it's been pulled hope it's fixed now 😊"

@0203Zipho confessed:

"Yoh, Jesu... My trust issues would never allow me on this one 😭😭🤣"

@Tanaka raised a valid concern:

"What about if amatsotsi decides to chase me, will the car flee?"

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Other car-related stories trending in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on a stunning young lady who shared her touching journey to purchasing her brand-new car worth R329k, inspiring many South Africans with her achievement.
• A man's silver Toyota IST was stolen while he was attending the World Cup qualifier between Kenya and Gabon at Nyayo Stadium, after parking it behind Nairobi West Hospital.
• DJ Black Coffee has expanded his impressive car collection, which includes both luxury and classic models, by adding a Rolls-Royce Spectre, as revealed by a social media user on X.

Source: Briefly News