The Apple Vision Pro isn't necessarily a flop, but I think everybody agrees that Apple's revolutionary product didn't have the smoothest launch.
People have started returning the device for various reasons, including feeling nauseous while using it, albeit it doesn't mean Apple wouldn't continue to refine the device.
The Apple Vision Pro isn't going anywhere, and while the initial response was mixed, you can bet the company won't give up on this product.
Leaving aside all the problems and shortcomings that wearers have already reported, the Apple Vision Pro is also responsible for causing a concern few people could see coming.
Some buyers decided to wear the Apple Vision Pro behind the wheel. Dangerous experiments that have already registered millions of views on social media platforms showed Apple Vision Pro customers wearing the headset in self-driving cars without paying attention to the road and interacting with the device despite the obvious risks.
Photo: @blakestonks via X
The implications are huge, and while the experiments ended well, at least from a safety perspective, they brought forward a question that nobody would have imagined a decade ago: is the world ready for drivers to use a headset when the vehicle is in motion?
A survey from JW Surety Bonds shows that Americans are very concerned about people doing this while driving. The survey included 1,000 people living in the United States and 105 truck drivers, with the latter category included specifically because they spend most of their time on the road daily.
Fortunately, common sense is still a thing, and Americans are concerned with people wearing the headset while driving. Three in five Americans said they were "extremely concerned| about the safety implications, albeit it doesn't mean some people wouldn't try it. One in five Americans said they would still wear the Apple Vision Pro when traveling in a self-driving vehicle.
Photo: @blakestonks via X
The good news is that few people do it, though I'm certain the number will increase as Apple resolves the Vision Pro shortcomings and the device becomes more widely adopted. Approximately 5% of the American truckers said they spotted someone wearing an Apple Vision Pro in a car.
Everybody seems to believe that wearing a headset while driving will eventually become more common. It's why they believe that new regulations are required, specifically to define how a Vision Pro can be used in a car. It's unclear how many people believe that an Apple headset can be used in the driver seat, but 80% of the respondents claimed that legislation regulating the vehicle's device is mandatory.
80% of the respondents said new laws to regulate the Apple Vision Pro in a car is "extremely important," while 18% said they consider the guidelines "moderately important." Only 2% of the respondents believe we don't need new regulations.
Photo: @blakestonks via X
Truck drivers aren't completely against using the Apple Vision Pro while driving. One in four truckers said they would wear the device when getting behind the wheel in a self-driving vehicle.
The survey also revealed that three in five truckers are concerned about the device being used when the vehicle is in motion.
Apple explains in the Apple Vision Pro User Guide that users shouldn't wear the headset while running or "operating a moving vehicle." The company also explains that some wearers might experience motion sickness, saying they should "wait until symptoms have subsided before doing anything, such as walking or driving a car." Anything that "requires attention to safety" should be postponed if you experience symptoms of motion sickness.
The United States officials have also reacted promptly after people were filmed wearing the Apple Vision Pro while driving cars. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized that the world isn't yet at a point where human drivers are no longer required, as all self-driving systems still require a human person to be fully engaged in driving a vehicle.
Photo: @blakestonks via X
Other authorities have already issued public concerns about this dangerous use of the headset, calling for drivers to avoid wearing the headset while driving. However, no state has passed legislation to specifically regulate the use of the device behind the wheel.
Meanwhile, Apple is hard at work on refining the first-generation headset, though it's unclear if the company is working on any protections that would prevent users from wearing it in a moving vehicle. Theoretically, Apple does have the technical means of enforcing a block on using the headset when it detects a moving vehicle, but such limitations would prevent other car occupants, including people traveling in the rear seats, from interacting with the Vision Pro when someone else drives the car.
Apple hasn't yet commented on its plans regarding the Vision Pro and any potential limitations, with the company pointing to the user guide for such recommendations. However, the JW Surety Bonds survey should serve as an incentive for authorities worldwide to be a step ahead of this dangerous trend and prepare new regulations before we see people wearing headsets everywhere.
Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones. Full profile
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