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NHTSA Says It Is Discussing Video Game Access to Drivers With Tesla

Screen of "Sky Force Reloaded" on a Tesla 7 photos
Photo: Infinite Games
The Battle of Polytopia: MoonriseScreen of "Sky Force Reloaded" on a TeslaVideo Game on a TeslaVideo Game Menu on a TeslaScreen of "Solitaire" on a TeslaVideo Game on a Tesla
After The New York Times revealed that Tesla now allows anyone to play video games while the cars are moving (including the driver), NHTSA finally decided to take action. In an email message to Reuters, the safety agency said it is “discussing the feature with the manufacturer."

It is not clear what “discussing” means in this context. Reuters assumed that NHTSA was pressing Tesla, but the safety agency did not disclose any measures to support that. The good news for the EV maker is that it can fix the issue with a simple OTA (over-the-air) update. After all, it created the problem in the same fashion after a July update allowed anyone in the car to play video games while the vehicle moves.

According to the NYT, all the driver has to do to play “Solitaire,” “Sky Force Reloaded,” and “The Battle of Polytopia: Moonrise” is click on a button saying he is not the driver. That simple procedure does not help Tesla in a moment when the company is accused of exaggerating the capabilities of its ADAS (advanced driver-assistance systems) Autopilot, and FSD (Full Self-Driving).

While official communication from Tesla states both are Level 2 systems, which need constant supervision, at least one video of the company states the cars drive themselves. Theoretically, drivers could trust that and play video games while they think the car is full self-driving. Liza Dixon coined the expression “autonowashing” precisely to describe how Tesla and Elon Musk promise autonomous driving without being able to actually deliver that.

NHTSA may soon disclose the results of “discussing the feature with the manufacturer.” While it does not do that, Jalopnik wrote a demolishing article about the safety agency accusing it of being totally inept because “Tesla gets to play by whatever rules it likes.” Discussing things with the EV maker while it so openly mocks traffic safety certainly does not help.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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