Games may not be as fun as they should be if you play it when you are driving. Neal E. Boudette, reporter from The New York Times, published an article about Tesla allowing drivers to play games while driving. This isn’t the first safety allegation against Tesla. Over the past years, Tesla has been dealing with allegations against its autopilot system, regarding how it allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel with no means to ensure their safety. A YouTuber made a video that highlights this concerning feature in a Tesla car.
“One of the bigger changes is that now the games can be played while the car is in drive. The games can be played when you’re driving down the road.” Says the YouTuber. Tesla added a few new games over the summer that could only be played when the car is parked, but now the driver can simply confirm themself as the passenger by tapping a button to start playing a game, which sounds extremely dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday that it was looking into Tesla’s video game feature and discussing it with its manufacturer. However, Tesla has yet to give a response to several emails asking about how the newly added video game feature can cause immeasurable safety issues.
Driving safety is a major concern to the society. According to the United States Department of Transportation, an estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up 18.4% over 2020. “This is a crisis. More than 20,000 people died on U.S. roads in the first six months of 2021, leaving countless loved ones behind. We cannot and should not accept these fatalities as simply a part of everyday life in America,” said United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Tesla’s video game feature brings major safety concerns. We do not want video games to become a new source of traffic accidents. What’s more, we want people to drive safely and responsibly, without any distraction that could put them and their loved ones in danger.