Tesla has implemented some restrictions on its Passenger Play feature after the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NTHSA) announced it would begin a preliminary evaluation of its effects on safety. In December of 2019, Tesla rolled out its Tesla Arcade program, that let users play games built into the car on its center touch screen while parked. The program has included many classic arcade and arcade-style games, plus newer releases like Cuphead and Stardew Valley. Around December 2020, however, an update was released that allowed games to be played while in motion, with the only safety measure in place an easily-dismissed pop-up asking players to confirm they are a passenger before beginning the game. Combined with Tesla's controversial Autopilot function, which can handle some degree of driving responsibilities without input from the driver, some safety experts are concerned Teslas will enable drivers to take their hands and eyes off the road while driving.

On December 8, a new Tesla owner named Vince Patton filed a report with the NTHSA after seeing a YouTube video demonstrating the new feature, and testing it out for himself. “I only did it for like five seconds and then turned it off,” said Mr. Patton. “I’m astonished. To me, it just seems inherently dangerous.” On December 21, the NTHSA's Office of Defects Investigation began its preliminary evaluation of the situation. However, by December 23, the NTHSA had confirmed in statements to The Associated Press and Teslerati that Tesla was changing the feature so it could once again only be activated while parked.

 

[HarveyHouston]

Self-driving cars are still too new for this feature; also, it's never a good idea to keep your eyes off the road even if the car is driving itself, as accidents can happen. FYI, traffic laws in some states require you to not have any video content playing while driving - this would include video games.

Pay attention to the road, not your entertainment. Just because a car can drive itself now doesn't mean that you can stop watching traffic! IMHO, self-driving cars are a bad idea period, because it's allowing the driver to be more irresponsible, and thus wrecks are actually MORE likely to happen! After all, no computer is perfect, and if it makes a turn into a brick fence where it thinks a road should be, at like 80 MPH - CRASH!

 

[Phearoz]

T

I wouldn't trust a car to drive me anywhere when it could kill me. I'll drive myself and play some other time.

This is the dumbest take I see parroted all the time.
Statistically you are FAR safer when the car drives itself, and it's been that way, statistically, ever since the first year of tests. You're more liable to kill yourself driving than an AI car that does full 360 degree scans constantly.

I can't play, read, or watch while in a car without getting motion sickness, riding or otherwise, so I'm with you on the playing another time thing.

 

[Marc_LFD]

T


This is the dumbest take I see parroted all the time.
Statistically you are FAR safer when the car drives itself, and it's been that way, statistically, ever since the first year of tests. You're more liable to kill yourself driving than an AI car that does full 360 degree scans constantly.

I can't play, read, or watch while in a car without getting motion sickness, riding or otherwise, so I'm with you on the playing another time thing.

You trust the car to drive itself, have it your way. I won't.

 

[Jonna]

So your problem is that firefighters are not equipped to deal with batteries? That can be fixed and it will soon enough when gas cars are a thing of the past.
If we were to stop technology because someone ain't properly equipped to deal with it we would not be going anywhere.

Hi Cave Johnson

 

[Jonna]

Oh we'll get there, we just gotta be patient. Once weed is legalized across the country, I imagine we could legally get high in the car too at that point.

Probably not. Weed has been legal in Canada for a few years now, and it's still illegal to be high while driving, as it's considered an impairment. Regardless of my stance, that's just the law up here and it shows no sign of getting abolished any time soon.

Getting high in a car that's not moving, go all for it

 

[ZeroFX]

That's good, imagine having the kind of people that plays stardew valley doing it while having the car is semi auto driving.
Crash guaranteed.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Probably not. Weed has been legal in Canada for a few years now, and it's still illegal to be high while driving, as it's considered an impairment. Regardless of my stance, that's just the law up here and it shows no sign of getting abolished any time soon.

Getting high in a car that's not moving, go all for it

I don't think you're fully following what we were talking about. We're talking once cars are fully autonomous and no user input is needed whatsoever. Plug in your destination, no matter where you are in the country, and your car will get you there with zero human input. Once we get there is when we were talking about legally being able to get drunk and high in the car.

 

[Jonna]

I don't think you're fully following what we were talking about. We're talking once cars are fully autonomous and no user input is needed whatsoever. Plug in your destination, no matter where you are in the country, and your car will get you there with zero human input. Once we get there is when we were talking about legally being able to get drunk and high in the car.

Ah, gotcha.

Just don't get so high that you accidentally set a course from New Jersey to Hong Kong

 

[Chaosta]

all this fuss because they drive a boring car. autopilot isnt needed when you like what you drive.