Tesla To Disable Car Games While Vehicles Are Moving

Following multiple crashes and pressure from safety regulators, Tesla will stop allowing games to be played on the middle screen while vehicles are moving.

Tesla will send out software updates that lock the function called “Passenger Play” while the car is in motion. Disabling the games comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday that it would investigate distracted driving instances of drivers playing Tesla video games while driving. In Portland, Oregon, a Tesla driver also recently filed a complaint against the company after learning that users can play games while driving.

“The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with defects posing unreasonable risks to safety, including technologies that distract drivers from driving safely,” the NHTSA said in a statement. The agency confirmed that despite Tesla disabling the games while cars are moving, they would move forward with their investigation.

The latest probe adds to the company’s growing scrutiny. In recent years, Tesla has also come under fire for a number of crashes involving its self-driving system.

The investigation will look into nearly 580,000 Tesla Models S, X, Y, and three from 2017 through 2022 model years.