Tesla disables game function while driving.
Written byTimes Magazine
Tesla has agreed to change the Passenger Play feature, which allows games to be played on a touchscreen while the car is in motion. This goes back to a US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study.
The agency said it had been notified by Tesla that a software update would disable the feature while driving. Elon Musk's car company has been criticized for being dangerous.
"Passenger Play is now blocked and cannot be used while the vehicle is in motion," the agency told the newspaper.
Tesla has not issued an official statement regarding this. Announcing its investigation, which began earlier this week, NHTSA said passenger play "can distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents."
While the ability to play games on the car's touchscreen isn't aimed at drivers and encourages players to confirm they're passengers, there's nothing to stop drivers from using it.
Initially, this function could only be used when the car was stationary, but it was changed in December 2020 to allow playing games while driving.
The change was noticed by Tesla owner Vince Patton, who filed a complaint with NHTSA, calling it "reckless negligence." When opening its investigation, NHTSA found that the feature "could distract drivers and increase the risk of an accident."
The guidelines state that in-car devices must be turned off so that they cannot be used by drivers "to perform small, distracting tasks while driving." That month it announced that 3,142 road deaths were due to distracted drivers in 2019.
In August, the agency opened an experimentation into Tesla's autopilot system after a dozen cars using the feature collided with parked ambulances. It also checks for other systemic accidents.
Trending News
