U.S. officials investigate game activity on Tesla cars

Authorities in the United States have launched a security investigation into a game feature in Tesla cars. Of the 580,000 Tesla sold out since 2017, the driver can play touch screen games next to the driver while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this feature increases the risk of accidents because it can distract drivers from cars.

A game called Passenger Play in Tesla has been running while driving since last year. Before that, you could only play if you parked the car. The NHTSA now says it is evaluating some aspects of the situation. This includes, among other things, the frequency and usage footage of the passenger plane or what it sounds like. Tesla has not yet responded.

Earlier this month, the American newspaper New York Times drew attention to the game feature. The NHTSA said it was already discussing the matter with Tesla.

According to official figures, the number of road deaths in the United States by distracted motorists in 2019 was 3,142. In fact, this number seems to be very high as many drivers involved in collisions do not admit to being distracted.

Earlier, the NHSDA launched an investigation into Tesla’s automated pilot operation following a series of computer-related crashes. The supervisor has also received complaints about the game option while driving. Previously, Mercedes Thai Daimler had already recalled several cars to the garage in the US because they could watch TV or use the internet through the infotainment system while driving.