Tesla Inc.’s choice to offer games feature on the front center touchscreen has compelled the U.S. auto safety regulators to begin an official safety probe into 580,000 company vehicles deployed since 2017.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Tesla feature may distract the driver and increase the danger of accidents. NHTSA also stated that their preliminary assessment encompasses numerous Model 3, S, X, and Y automobiles from the 2017 to 2022 model years.

The regulator added that this feature has been available in Tesla's Passenger Play'-equipped automobiles since December 2020. Previously, the gaming function was only accessible when the vehicle was in Park mode.

Aspects of the feature, including the frequency and use situations of Tesla Passenger Play, will be evaluated, the NHTSA added.

NHTSA also mentioned that distracted driving is responsible for several road casualties in the United States, with 3,142 deaths in 2019. Safety advocates expressed that the stats underestimate the issue as not all distracted drivers admit to being sidetracked.

The Tesla update included three new games: a solitaire, a jet fighter, and a conquest strategy scenario, as well as vehicle warnings that read: Passengers are the only ones who can listen to music while the car is moving. Although the feature asks the player to authenticate that they are a passenger, a driver might play by merely hitting the button, sources cited.

The NHTSA established guidelines in 2013 to urge automakers to design and use infotainment systems in vehicles with safety and driver distraction prevention in mind. In-vehicle technologies built should not distract the driver while driving.

After a series of mishaps involving the system and parked emergency vehicles, the government has initiated a safety inquiry into 765,000 Tesla vehicles in August over its driver-assistance technology Autopilot.

A preliminary evaluation is the first stage before the agency decides to escalate a probe to an engineering analysis, which is required before the agency can demand a recall.

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https://www.livemint.com/auto-news/us-opens-investigation-into-580-000-tesla-vehicles-over-game-feature-11640172467891.html