Tesla deactivates gaming via Passenger Play while driving with software update

Tesla is turning off the Passenger Play feature on its cars while driving, following pressure from the US Road Safety Authority. After a software update, occupants will no longer be able to play games on the infotainment system while the car is in motion.

Tesla has started distributing the software update in the US that disables Passenger Play when the car is in motion. The company has reported this to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The road safety authority reported last week that it was starting an investigation into the influence of Passenger Play on the concentration of motorists.

The authority reports to the Associated Press that this investigation is continuing despite Tesla’s commitment. The Nhtsa launched the investigation after a Tesla owner filed a complaint about being able to play games while driving. The Passenger Play function, as the name implies, is intended for passengers, but drivers can also play while driving as long as they click a button that they are a passenger.

The feature has been present in the Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y since December 2020. Before that, games could only be played in cars while parking. Tesla itself has not provided any details about the situation at the time of writing.