Following news from the NHTSA of a preliminary investigation into the feature, Tesla dials back passenger play
At this point, it’s no surprise when Tesla or CEO Elon Musk announces a boundary-breaking feature for its electric vehicles. Earlier this year, Tesla rolled out the ability for passengers to play video games through the infotainment system mounted on the dashboard even while the car is in motion, which can be activated after the player confirms they are a passenger. However, there’s nothing to stop a driver from tapping this prompt, too. Now, Tesla has communicated to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) its intent to roll out a software update disabling the feature while the vehicle is in motion. This comes after reports earlier this week that the agency had opened a preliminary investigation into Passenger Play, following concerns raised by Tesla Model 3 owner Vince Patton (as reported by the New York Times). This probe covers all four Tesla models – the S, X, Y and 3 from 2017 through 2022. While the availability of games like Sonic 1 created a buzz in gaming and Tesla fans alike, road safety experts and agencies worry that live video and interactive activities on the touchscreen could present safety issues.
