Tesla cars will now let you run video games on its infotainment systems even while you’re driving.
According to new reports, a recent update for its EVs has enabled drivers to access numerous video games on its infotainment system, including Solitaire, Sky Force Reloaded and The Battle of Polytopia: Moonrise. As you’d expect, booting up any of those titles will bring up a warning display which says “Solitaire is a game for everyone, but playing while the car is in motion is only for passengers,” but there aren’t any tools to recognize whether the driver is actually the one playing or not.
While the new feature might seem to make your next morning drive to work a little more entertaining, it’s also extremely dangerous. Many automakers restrict infotainment usage to only when the car is parked, and even if it is a passenger who’s playing, there’s still a high risk that the driver will be tuning into the gameplay on screen every now and then, detracting from their focus on the road. As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,142 people died in crashes that involved distracted drivers in 2019 alone.
So far, neither Tesla nor its CEO Elon Musk has commented on the reports.
Elsewhere in the automotive world, Porsche has unveiled its futuristic Vision Gran Turismo.