The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a new investigation into Tesla cars. This allows drivers to play video on their console screens while the vehicle is moving.
The United States Department of Transportation will oversee the agency. It will be focusing on the so-called “Passenger Play” game function located on the front touch screen. Bloomberg reports that it can distract drivers.
The investigation will be applicable to 580,000 Model 3 S, X, and Y vehicles made between 2017-2022. It will “evaluate aspects” of the feature, such as frequency and usage scenarios.
Since December 2020, this feature is available even when the vehicle is moving. It was previously only available while the vehicle was stationary, and there were no injuries or crashes.
In August, the NHTSA was notified by an Oregon consumer that web searches and video games could be displayed on the vehicle’s screen.
This investigation is the second into California’s Autopilot system. The NHTSA opened it on August 13, after having identified 11 accidents involving emergency vehicles in 2018.
