The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a preliminary assessment of 580,000 Tesla based on complaints that video games can be played on the front infotainment screen of Model X, S, Y and Model 3 while the car is in motion . The investigation involves all the cars of the Californian brand equipped with the Passenger Play function. The NHTSA summarizes the problem so it will make a reflection “Tesla allows video games to be played on the front touchscreen while the car is in motion which can present a real distraction for the driver”.
The investigation begins on the basis of an official complaint
An official complaint on the NHTSA website came from a consumer in the city of Lake Oswego, Oregon reporting the following. “Tesla is making all video games playable in real time on the main display even if the car is in motion. However, video games should be reserved for passengers only. Why can a producer run a live video game that occupies 2/3 of the front screen on which the driver has the main information? Since Tesla does not offer solutions such as head-up display it ends up creating a distraction for the driver and therefore it is a matter of negligence ”.
The feature is available from December 2020
The NHTSA has confirmed that the feature has been available since December 2020 on all Tesla cars equipped with the Passenger Play feature. Previously, the use of the video game was only possible when the car was stationary. The function has acquired a certain notoriety these days, when it was understood that the only protection against all those who used video games when the car was in motion was a simple confirmation that can be activated on the central screen requested to the player who can report that only the passengers can play the game while the car is in motion.
The problem is solvable but negligence remains
NHTSA has consequently opened a preliminary assessment which will serve to clarify the different aspects of the function, including the frequency and scenarios of use of the Passenger Play function. Just recently NHTSA reported that driving distractions led to 3,142 deaths in 2019 alone, so the assessment results will be more interesting than ever. Tesla could certainly solve the problem if MHTSA deems it necessary with a simple update over the air. However, the fact remains that the function should not have been available at least in these terms.