Subject: Re: Columbians to allow deportation flights
Interesting did they intend to do that or was it by accident?

It was intentional. It was a demonstration launch to show that this particular SpaceX design could successfully get a payload out of earth orbit and on to interplanetary missions. They needed some kind of payload for the demonstration, and the Tesla Roadster was in the right weight range and certainly made for good PR.

I doubt very much that the Tesla's self driving capabilities come into play here. :-)

--Peter