1 of 5 | The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla over a feature that allows people inside its vehicles to play video games while the car is in motion over concerns it can distract drivers. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI |
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Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The federal government is investigating a feature available in more than half a million Tesla vehicles that allows people in the cars to play games on a dashboard touch screen while the vehicle is in motion.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it received a complaint that the company's "Passenger Play" system, which allows people in the vehicle to play video games and search the Internet on the center touch screen that can be seen from the driver's seat and is enabled even when the vehicle is being driven.
"This functionality, referred to as 'Passenger Play,' may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash," the NHTSA's Office of Defects and investigations sad in a report.
The investigation affects an estimated 580,000 Model 3, S, X and Y Tesla vehicles from model years 2017-2022.
The ODI confirmed that the capability to play the games while the vehicle is in motion has been available since December 2020, after it had previously only been enabled when the vehicle was in park.
At least three games -- solitaire, a jet fighter game called Sky Force Reloaded and a conquest strategy game called The Battle of Polytopia: Moonrise -- can be played on the center console through "Passenger Play," according to The New York Times, which previously reported about the feature.
Upon launching a game, a notification requires the user to tap an "I am a passenger" confirmation button before playing, but there are no safeguards to prevent drivers from clicking the button and playing the games.
In August, the NHTSA also launched an inquiry into Tesla's self-driving system that's been linked to nearly a dozen crashes involving emergency vehicles like police cars and ambulances, which have resulted in 17 injuries and one death.
Tesla's autopilot system can handle multiple driving functions, such as steering and braking, but human drivers are still supposed to monitor the operation of the vehicle and watch out for potential hazards.
