Tesla agrees to stop letting drivers play video games in moving cars

December 25, 2021 00:00:00

Tesla has agreed to modify software in its cars to prevent drivers and passengers from playing video games on the dashboard screens while the vehicles are in motion, a federal safety regulator said Thursday, reports The New York Times.

The agreement came a day after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a formal investigation of the game feature, which is known as Passenger Play. The investigation was announced after The New York Times reported this month on the potential safety risks the games posed.

"Following the opening of a preliminary evaluation of Tesla's 'Passenger Play,' Tesla informed the agency that it is changing the functionality of this feature," the safety agency said in a statement. "In a new software update, 'Passenger Play' will now be locked and unusable when the vehicle is in motion."

Safety experts had criticized Tesla for allowing the games to be accessible while cars were in motion. "There is no argument that can be made that this isn't dangerous," said Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer group.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

The federal safety agency is examining other potential safety issues with Teslas. In August, it opened a formal investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system, which can accelerate and brake a car on its own, after cars using the feature crashed into parked fire trucks, police cars and other emergency vehicles at least 11 times. Those accidents resulted in one death and several serious injuries.

In addition, the safety agency is reviewing more than two dozen other accidents involving Teslas operating on Autopilot. The agency has said eight of those crashes resulted in a total of 10 deaths since the first occurred in 2016.

While the video game feature is not directly linked to the Autopilot issues, the safety agency on Wednesday suggested it was worried that Tesla drivers could play games while using Autopilot in the mistaken belief that the car was driving itself and that they need not pay attention to the road.