Man in Jiangsu Jailed and Fined for Rear-End Crash After Using Driver-Assist While Drunk

Recently, Duan, a man from Jiangsu Province, drove under the influence to rush back to his hometown to celebrate "520" (a romantic holiday in China) with his girlfriend. After entering the highway, he activated his vehicle’s intelligent driver-assistance system and fell asleep. The car traveled over 100 kilometers without human control before eventually coming to a stop in a highway lane, causing a rear-end collision involving two vehicles and injuring multiple people. Blood tests revealed Duan’s blood alcohol concentration was 99.3 mg/100ml, constituting drunk driving. The court convicted him of dangerous driving, sentencing him to one month and 15 days of criminal detention, fining him 4,000 yuan, and ordering him to bear civil compensation liability. Prosecutors emphasized that currently available driver-assistance systems in consumer vehicles are only Level 2, meaning drivers remain legally responsible at all times. Using such systems while intoxicated still constitutes drunk driving, and drivers must stay alert and ready to take immediate control of the vehicle.