Holding Formal Security Investigation, US Traffic Safety Authority Investigate 580.000 Tesla Vehicles

Tesla illustration. (Unsplash/Roberto Nickson)

JAKARTA - The US traffic safety regulator said on Wednesday it had opened a formal security investigation into 580.000 Tesla vehicles sold since 2017, over the automaker's decision to allow games to be played on front-center touchscreens.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said its preliminary evaluation covered a range of Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles in the 2017-2022 timeframe. This functionality, known as 'Passenger Play', "can distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents," the agency said.

NHTSA said it had "confirmed that this capability has been available since December 2020 in Tesla 'Passenger Play' equipped vehicles." Previously, the game feature "only activated when the vehicle was in the Park".

Citing Reuters December 22, NHTSA said it would "evaluate aspects of the feature, including the frequency and usage scenarios of Tesla 'Passenger Play'." Meanwhile, Tesla did not immediately comment.

Earlier this month, the New York Times highlighted the game's features, prompting NHTSA to say it was in discussions with Tesla about it.

The agency noted earlier in December that distracted driving accounted for the largest number of deaths on US roads, reaching 3.142 in 2019 alone. Safety advocates say official figures underestimate the problem, as not all drivers involved in accidents later admit they were distracted.

The Times says Tesla's update adds three games - Solitaire, jet fighter, and strategy conquest scenario, says the vehicle has a warning that reads: "Playing while the car is in motion is for passengers only."

The newspaper said the game's feature prompts players to confirm they are passengers, although drivers can still play at the push of a button.

In 2013, NHTSA issued guidelines to encourage automakers "to consider driver safety and distraction prevention into their design and adoption of in-vehicle infotainment devices."

The guidelines "recommend that in-vehicle devices be designed in such a way that they cannot be used by drivers to perform secondary tasks that interfere with driving," the agency said.

The agency in August opened a safety investigation into 765.000 Tesla vehicles over the Autopilot driver assistance system, after a series of accidents involving parked emergency systems and vehicles.

The initial evaluation is the first step before NHTSA decides whether to escalate the investigation to engineering analysis, which must be done before the agency can request a recall.

To note, NHTSA said it received a complaint in November about a gaming feature from a Tesla Model 3 driver in Oregon, who said: "Creating a dangerous distraction to a driver is reckless negligence."

As of November 29, Mercedes-Benz Daimler recalled 227 vehicles manufactured in the US, including the 2021 S580, 2022 EQS450, EQS580, and S500 models, because the vehicle's infotainment system "may allow television and internet screen activation while driving, causing a distraction to the driver."