This Man Tried To Drive a Tesla for 24 Hours, While Only Using Self-Driving ModeGuessing HeadlightsHenry KelsallTue, September 22, 2026 at 3:34 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: Nico Grigg/YouTubeCan you imagine getting a Tesla EV and then deciding to take a 24-hour road trip in the car? How about going from Miami to Virginia and, in addition to driving for 24 hours, only using self-driving mode in the electric car?Well, that is what YouTuber Nico Grigg set himself the challenge of doing. Grigg decided to take on the challenge of driving all the way from Miami to Virginia in the EV. But he would only use self-driving mode and would try not to touch the steering wheel.We do now live in a world where self-driving is becoming increasingly commonplace. Tesla is one of the biggest investors in technology and has even introduced fully autonomous vehicles like the Robotaxi and Cybercab to showcase what it can do.AdvertisementAdvertisementSelf-driving modes, however, are viewed more as assistance systems to regular driving. So the idea of driving a full road trip, and one that takes 24 hours, with only self-driving mode, sounds like a daunting prospect. But Grigg was determined to find out if it was possible, hence his decision to take on the challenge.Grigg Wanted To Put a Tesla Claim to the TestGrigg wanted to put Tesla's claim to the test on his long road trip."Tesla claims that their self-driving is good enough to replace a human. Today, I'm finding out if that's true by driving across America with one rule. I can't touch the wheel," Grigg said. Tesla has indeed claimed that its self-driving systems are better than what a human can do.Incredibly, Grigg had only done a trip as long as four hours in a car. "I have never done a road trip over 4 hours. So, this is going to be new to me. But I guess I'm not actually driving because I'm about to click 'Start Self-Driving,'" he said. Remember, though, self-driving is seen more as an aid to actual driving, and you have to be prepared to intervene if something looks like it could go wrong.AdvertisementAdvertisementGrigg said that an advantage of taking the trip was that he could enjoy the sights and scenery more while the car was traveling. When driving, our full focus is always on the road, and that can be quite exhausting after a couple of hours. That is indeed a bonus, as long drives can really take it out of us, even though driving itself is not a physical activity. The big question, however, was: did he get to his destination without touching the steering wheel?This Is How Grigg's Steering Wheel Challenge WentImage Credit: Nico Grigg/YouTubeThere were some issues on the drive. Grigg did not like having to wait 20-30 minutes to recharge the car while he was driving. Then there were some glitches with the autopilot, such as when it brought the car to a complete stop at one point because a deer was off to the side of the road. However, you could argue the system should play it safe rather than risk causing an accident.So, did he stick to his no-hands rule? Incredibly, yes, he did. There was one very brief moment when the car told him to take over after he unbuckled his seatbelt too early as it pulled into a Supercharger. But apart from that, the YouTuber did not touch the steering wheel of the EV. It was able to complete the incredibly long journey without any problems."I'll probably never do this again because of how inconvenient the charging is, but overall, I'm extremely impressed with the self-driving on this Tesla, and it really, really did surprise me," Grigg concluded.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.