Tesla equips its vehicles with cabin cameras meant to confirm that drivers remain alert during Autopilot sessions and other assistance modes. Yet reports indicate that certain owners in China have adopted an odd solution involving compact plastic doll heads.

A Wired investigation describes a small but expanding selection of accessories sold specifically to mislead the interior camera. The favored items are tiny celebrity likenesses positioned by the rearview mirror so they occupy the camera view and conceal the actual driver.

Owners experiment with photos and animated displays too

Figurines represent only one approach in this trend.

Additional tactics include printed photos held before the lens and lenticular prints that simulate blinking from shifting angles. Some drivers install compact screens showing repeating footage of eyes opening and closing naturally. All are calibrated to satisfy the attention checks.

One reported case involved a figurine modeled after actor Dwayne Johnson that reportedly let the owner travel long distances without alerts. Shared clips showed people eating or looking aside while the prop stayed in frame.

Similar attempts have surfaced elsewhere using weights on the wheel or tinted glasses. The current wave of camera-targeted gadgets followed the stricter monitoring rules introduced in China.

Safety questions surface around these workarounds

The spread of such devices highlights weaknesses in present monitoring setups.

Autopilot still demands constant human oversight even though it manages some tasks. Experts note that defeating the alerts can foster overreliance and raise crash risks since the system is assistance only, not full self-driving.

Online comments in China have compared the gadgets to clips that defeat seatbelt sensors, arguing they favor ease over protection. Others wonder why basic props continue to outwit advanced vision systems.

Tesla has offered no statement on the items or plans for future updates to counter them. Continued growth in the practice could prompt the company to refine its detection methods.

The episode illustrates how even sophisticated vehicle AI can be outsmarted by basic objects such as a small doll head fixed near the mirror.