Apple Vision Pro Tesla videos prompt move to ban drivers wearing them

State representative wants to ban ‘idiots driving Teslas with their hands up in the air’

A video posted to X on 5 February appears to show a driver of a Tesla Cybertruck wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset (Screenshot/ X)

Massachusetts is seeking to become the first state to ban people from wearing Apple Vision Pro headsets while driving a car.

The move follows a spate of videos appearing to show drivers wearing the mixed reality headsets behind the wheel.

“They’re all over the internet, these idiots driving Teslas with their hands up in the air,” state representative William Straus told The Boston Globe, who first reported the story.

Videos of people wearing the $3,499 headset while driving have received tens of millions of views on X, formerly Twitter, prompting authorities to warn against the trend.

A video of a man in a Tesla Cyber Truck wearing a Vision Pro was shared by US Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who urged people not to wear them.

“Reminder – ALL advanced driver assistance systems available today require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times,” Mr Buttigieg wrote on X.

David Reich, spokesperson for the National Road Safety Foundation, added: “You can’t be doing that while you are driving.”

Apple Vision Pro users have also shared videos of themselves wearing the headset in other inappropriate scenarios, with popular YouTuber Casey Neistat filming himself wearing it while skateboarding down a busy New York street.

Apple has also warned owners of the Vision Pro, which is currently only available in the US, to keep safety in mind while using it.

“Never use Apple Vision Pro while operating a moving vehicle, bicycle, heavy machinery, or in any other situations requiring attention to safety,” the gadget’s user guide notes.

“Always remain aware of your environment and body posture during use. Apple Vision Pro is designed for use in controlled areas that are safe, on a level surface. Do not use it around stairs, balconies, railings, glass, mirrors, sharp objects, sources of excessive heat, windows, or other hazards.”