Regulators close investigation into Tesla's Passenger video gaming

Tesla video gaming 

On May 30, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the closure of an investigation into the potential distracted driving risk posed by Tesla's on-board video game system. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation clarified that the closure of the investigation does not indicate the absence of a safety-related defect and does not prevent future actions.

Tesla has consistently asserted that its Passenger Play feature, accessible through the touch screen in the front console, was intended exclusively for passenger use and does not unreasonably distract the driver.

During the investigation conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation, Tesla disabled the system via a software update.

The regulators initiated the examination in 2021 to assess whether the system presented an elevated risk of accidents. The investigation covered over 500,000 electric vehicles, including the Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y manufactured from 2017 to 2022.

According to the report, Tesla's internal data revealed instances where the system was used without any occupants in the passenger seat.

Initially, the Passenger Play feature was limited to use only when the vehicle was in park. However, in December 2020, Tesla changed this functionality, allowing passengers to use it while the vehicle was being driven. This raised concerns among regulators regarding potential distractions for drivers, diverting their attention away from the road.

The report states, "While ODI acknowledges Tesla's decision to remove Passenger Play, the analysis of the data provided in response to Tesla's Information Request (IR) raised significant concerns about driver distraction during the period when it was available, both when used as intended by a passenger and when misused by the driver."

The removal of Passenger Play from the affected vehicles effectively addressed the ongoing concerns.

In a broader context, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) noted that manufacturers generally design vehicles to prevent drivers from using on-board screens for content unrelated to navigation or driving tasks. This suggests that the industry, as a whole, recognizes the concerns associated with driver distraction and acknowledges that distraction can be considered a safety defect in certain cases.