Tesla jobs are planning to release an upgrade that will disable the Passenger Play feature in its vehicles, making it impossible to play video games on the center console while driving. The news comes amid a probe of the feature by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) started a preliminary investigation into about 580,000 Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles from the 2017 to 2022 model years earlier this week. It focuses on the Passenger Play feature, specifically how it might cause driver jobs and distraction. According to the ODI, gaming on the central console previously only operated when a Tesla was in park.
According to The Guardian, Tesla informed the NHTSA one day after the probe began that it would change the feature after discussions with agency officials. Despite the update, a spokesman stated that the inquiry would continue.
“The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles jobs with defects posing unreasonable risks to safety, including technologies that distract drivers from driving safely,” the NHTSA said in its statement.
