When you see a headline like, “My son flunked his road test because he was driving a Tesla, dad says,” it’s understandable that most people would probably laugh. The kid probably turned on Autopilot and thought no one would notice, like an idiot, and if that were the case, it would definitely deserve mockery. Except, if you read through this recent article on NJ.com, it starts to look like the issue wasn’t the kid driving a Tesla — it was the kid driving an electric vehicle, and the text examiner simply didn’t like him using regenerative braking. It’s entirely possible they’re lying to generate sympathy here, but at least for now, the available evidence does seem to back up their story.
Allegedly, teen driver Lochlan Keefer failed his driver’s test because he used his dad’s Tesla’s automatic driving and parking features during the test, but according to his father James, the car doesn’t actually have the so-called Full Self-Driving software his son is accused of using. “The examiner accused my son of using driver assistance features simply because he parallel parked smoothly on the first try,” James Keefer, father of Lochlan Keefer, told NJ.com. “He was specifically accused of using paid parking-assist and driving features, which we do not subscribe to.”
In the comment section of the driver’s exam, the instructor wrote, “Had the parking and stopping assistance on never stepped on the brake to stop his self let the vehicle stop it self.” While we can’t be 100% certain Keefer didn’t use any so-called self-driving features, that sure sounds like one-pedal driving, a common feature on EVs, not FSD. It also sounds like the examiner should have paid closer attention in school, but that’s not exactly the point here.
Passed on the second try
Lochlan Keefer reportedly offered to turn off one-pedal driving multiple times during the test but was told that wasn’t necessary. Once the test was over, though, the examiner then failed him anyway, even though he hadn’t made any mistakes. Only then did they reportedly claim there was something wrong with using regenerative braking. If regenerative braking was specifically not allowed during the driving test, that would be one thing, but as NJ.com reports, “It bans self-parking features entirely, but it says nothing about regenerative braking. Neither does MVC’s driver’s manual.”
This also isn’t the first time a driver has failed their license test because they were using regenerative braking. NJ.com found at least two examples in California that led to the state sending out new guidance telling examiners not to fail drivers just because they take the test in a car with regenerative braking. That makes sense since one-pedal driving isn’t so much a driver’s assistance feature as it is regular braking with one less step.
As for Lochlan, he later passed a second test with an examiner who reportedly didn’t have a problem with the car’s regenerative braking feature. “The examiner at Delanco was fully aware of the regenerative braking feature and had no issues conducting the test under these conditions, further illustrating the inconsistency in interpretation or enforcement of non-existent MVC policies regarding regenerative braking,” James Keefer told NJ.com.
Regenerative braking is old news
If regenerative braking had just been invented in the last year or two, that might have been one thing. Driving examiners don’t always keep up with the absolute latest in automotive technology, but it’s been a feature on electric vehicles for far longer than that. Applications vary from automaker to automaker, with some only offering a feature that slows your car down when you let off the accelerator pedal, while still requiring you to hit the brakes to bring your car to a complete stop. Others include true one-pedal driving, which will bring your car to a stop without you even needing to touch the brakes.
Drivers who are used to gas cars may find regenerative braking or true one-pedal driving disconcerting at first, but it’s usually something you get used to quickly, and many come to prefer it since your car begins to slow down the moment you let your foot off the accelerator. Plus, by using the electric motor to slow the car down, you can add a small charge back into the battery, improving your range. That said, for those who don’t like it, you should be able to turn it off in the vehicle’s settings.
Porsche, however, is one notable holdout, instead preferring for its electric vehicles to coast when you let off the accelerator.
