Should Tesla remove video games from its center touchscreen entirely?
Video games are one of Tesla’s main selling points for select models. For example, the Tesla Model S 2021 even has a built-in gaming PC that can reportedly play Cyberpunk 2077. Of course, just because you can game on your Tesla, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. This is why several parties including owners themselves are raising questions about safety and driver distraction after an over-the-air software update last summer let gamers play video games on their Teslas regardless of whether it was put in park or not. According to The Verge, the Tesla Model 3 owners can play Solitaire, The Battle of Polytopia, and Sky Force Reloaded, on the center touchscreen console even if the vehicle is on the move. All they have to do is to tap “I AM A PASSENGER” when asked if the player isn’t the driver. This means that drivers could easily lie. This isn’t the first time such a thing has happened. Even before the update, select interactive apps worked in Model 3 when in motion. The only “safety measure” is that the apps warn drivers not to participate. Model 3 owners were the first to lodge complaints about this oversight by Tesla. The NHTSA reports at least 59 complaints from Model 3 owners regarding the same issue. However, there are legitimate concerns that Tesla won’t listen. The tech company has frequently skirted safety rules and blatantly ignored recommendations by governing bodies. If it’s any consolation, Tesla has started using interior cameras to monitor drivers that are part of the Full Self-Driving beta program. This allows the vehicle’s software to keep an eye on the driver to check if they are paying attention while taking advantage of the vehicle’s self-driving features on local and non-highway streets. Unfortunately, not all Tesla vehicles have this feature. This means that it’s currently impossible to guarantee that drivers are keeping their attention on the road, and not on the touchscreen and playing video games.
