A number of Tesla vehicles allow front-seat occupants to play video games on the central infotainment screen while the vehicle is in motion, following an update that was rolled out this summer.
The New York Times reports that the system will allow front-seat occupants to play games like “Sky Force Reloaded,” “The Battle of Polytopia: Moonrise,” and Solitaire while the vehicle is in motion.
Before Solitaire starts the following warning is shown on screen: “Solitaire is a game for everyone, but playing when the car is in motion is only for passengers.”
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Although the player must indicate that they are not driving, there appears to be nothing preventing them from simply acknowledging the warning and playing the game anyway.
The revelation has caught the attention of many because, as Autoblog points out, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data indicates that 3,142 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers in the U.S. in 2019.
As infotainment screens have grown more complex, industry watchdogs have been warning about rising distractions from the driver’s seat. With games literally designed to consume a player’s attention, the lack of safeguards preventing drivers from playing is a cause for concern.
Although Tesla vehicles make use of advanced driver aids, like Autopilot and Full Self Driving beta, these systems are designed to be used with a driver’s full attention. Despite that, there are already issues surrounding their use as people misunderstand the system’s capabilities and their own responsibilities from behind the wheel.
Other automakers, such as Stellantis, have also installed elaborate infotainment systems that can play movies on the front row infotainment system but, as a rule, lock those features once the vehicle is in motion.
