Tesla and Safety Just Don’t Mix

You might think that a company like Tesla that installs all of the latest safety tech in their vehicles would take it more seriously.

Recent news shows us that this company, which offers us vehicles that are ultra-dependent upon electronic technology, has made an upgrade to its infotainment system that can only make things worse when out on the road. That seems odd considering the history of Tesla and its recent troubles with the driving systems, but maybe this company is simply turning a blind eye to driving safety.

The Latest Update

Tesla has been pushing over-the-air updates to its electronic system for a long time. The most recent update sent to all Tesla vehicles allows a new feature to be enjoyed. Drivers can now play video games on the screen in the center of the dashboard. This is a pretty cool feature and something that gamers will certainly love, but there’s one serious problem; you can play these games while driving. That is a serious concern and something that federal safety regulators are investigating. As you might expect, this update is something that has raised some serious red flags at the NHTSA.

The Boundaries are Always Being Pushed by Tesla

In the dichotomy of the driving world from this brand, we have advanced electric vehicles with all of the safety features we could imagine in a vehicle that seems to promote distracted driving. This was a problem a few years ago when the Autopilot system came under fire, which was a semi-autonomous driving system, but now, Tesla says their safety system has grown to offer this system with a Full Self-Driving feature. Is this adding to a recipe for disaster, and when served, it’s going to be nothing more than disaster? That is certainly possible.

Eleven Crashes and Counting

Tesla has often operated under the old saying, “you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs,” but when those eggs are the lives of people, which can be a serious problem. There have been repeated safety probes into Tesla, which started with battery fires in early models and moved to the Autopilot software, which has been linked to 11 crashes so far, leaving some to wonder why this company seems to be completely safety-averse. One such crash killed a former Navy SEAL, and another saw a Tesla vehicle crashing into stationary emergency response vehicles, not a good situation for the company.

Game Play Could Get People Killed

If we thought it was dangerous to our youth to expose them to extremely violent games through their gaming systems, imagine playing solitaire on the screen of your car when suddenly, you crash and die. Unfortunately, this could happen. Even though Tesla models have the Autopilot system installed in them, this system is not going to protect you enough to allow you to play Sky Force Reloaded while you’re driving, but you can play the game while on the move, which is truly a problem in Tesla vehicles.

The Complaint has Been Filed

The new technology was brought to the attention of the NHTSA when a retired journalist named Vince Patton filed a complaint. Vince owns a Tesla Model 3 and could not believe that he was able to play video games on his screen while driving around a vacant parking lot near his home. Just as many of us might believe, tech, where you can play games while driving, will likely get someone killed. This seems to be a complete disregard for driver safety by Tesla, but is it truly their responsibility?

Shouldn’t Drivers be Responsible for Their Actions?

The world we live in today is filled with more distractions than ever before. Distracted driving is nothing new; it began when fast-food restaurants started having drive-thru windows, encouraging drivers to pull up and grab a bite that could be consumed while driving. Now, we have mobile devices that demand our attention at all times. You might drive along on the road and notice people on the phone, drinking coffee, eating food, doing their makeup, or even reading a book while behind the wheel. None of these distractions are acceptable, but how many are all of us guilty of every week.

The point of talking about distractions isn’t as much to point out how comfortable we get behind the wheel that we sometimes take our minds and our actions off what we are doing and become distracted, but to consider the fact that we are responsible for these actions. Shouldn’t you put your phone down while driving? But what happens when that important phone call comes through? After going through the drive-thru, shouldn’t we pull to a parking space to eat instead of heading back out into traffic? Of course, we should avoid distractions while driving, but automakers are expected to assist in this venture.

How do Automakers Aid in Avoiding Distractions While Driving?

One way that many automakers help you stay safer on the road is to restrict some of the functions of the infotainment system while you’re behind the wheel. Often, you cannot connect to the system while the vehicle is in motion unless your passenger verifies they are the passenger and not the driver. While some vehicles now have screens for the passenger to enjoy videos, these screens are situated in such a way to put them out of the view of the driver.

Will Tesla be Required to Pull Back?

Forget safety when driving a Tesla; you can play games, let the car do the driving for you, and happily end up in a crash right after you complete the latest level of your favorite game. While facetious, it seems that Tesla might be required to pull back on the technology, the same as what they had to do a couple of years ago with the Autopilot system. In the meantime, if you’re a Tesla owner, be smart about when and where you play games on the screen. Your safety is much more important than leveling up on your Tesla screen.