US investigates Tesla drivers playing video games while in autopilot

More than 580,000 vehicles could face recall

Tesla vehicles are being investigated by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) amid concerns that a feature enables drivers to play video games while at the wheel.

The NHTSA said on Wednesday that an investigation into Tesla’s “Passenger Play” feature had been opened amid concerns that drivers could activate the video games and “play” while being in control of the vehicle.

It said the ability to play video games while at the wheel of a Tesla could distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash, and therefore endanger members of the US public. However no such accidents had been reported so far.

As many as 580,000 Tesla vehicles from 2017 and all four models, the S, X, Y and 3, are subject to the investigation.

It comes after 59-year-old Tesla owner Vince Patton found out in August that he was able to play a video game on his vehicle’s touch-screen while it was moving on autopilot, and afterwards filed a lawsuit against Tesla.

He also notified the NHTSA.

Mr Patton, of Portland, Oregon, said he had seen a YouTube video of another Tesla driver playing video games at the wheel of his vehicle, and so went to a parking lot to practice playing solitaire and a game called Sky Force Reloaded.

“I was just dumbfounded that, yes, sure enough, this sophisticated video game came up,” Mr Patton told The Associated Press. “Somebody’s going to get killed. It’s absolutely insane.” 

Tesla’s autopilot feature, which has similarly come under scrutiny by the NHTSA, theoretically allows drivers to take their hands away from the wheel of the electric vehicle. Although the company says users must be prepared to intervene at any moment.

Tesla has however faced allegations that its autopilot feature has been responsible for a number of crashes, and which the company founded by businessman Elon Musk largely denies.

When autopilot is activated by a Tesla owner, the vehicle is then driven by a combination of motion sensors and cameras that monitor the road. An investigation into its safety is ongoing.

The NHTSA added on Wednesday that the “Passenger Play” feature had been “only possible” when the vehicle was parked before December 2020 – suggesting that had changed.

Tesla has disbanded its media relations department, although The Independent has approached the company for comment.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.