An investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the video game-playing capability it temporarily offered through vehicles’ center screens caused “significant concerns about driver distraction,” Reuters reported.
Soon after NHTSA started its probe of nearly 600,000 Tesla vehicles in December 2021, Tesla agreed to stop allowing “Passenger Play” video gaming on vehicle screens while cars are in motion.
The agency closed its investigation without recalling any Tesla vehicles but said that doesn’t mean it found “no safety-related defect” or that it wouldn’t take action later “if warranted,” Reuters said.
The EV maker told NHTSA that no accidents or consumer complaints related to Passenger Play were reported in one year of use, Reuters reported. The agency’s investigation examined vehicles with the feature sold since 2017.
NHTSA said, "apparent driver use of Passenger Play while not in Park in approximately a third of the trips in which the feature was in use demonstrates the importance of affirmative technology-based lockouts over administrative controls such as labeling or disclaimer screens."
