Feds investigate gaming feature in Teslas

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Wednesday said it would look into reports that Tesla drivers can play video games on the vehicle’s touch screen while driving. The probe covers all four Tesla models, accounting for about 580,000 electric cars and SUVs sold since 2017. The agency said it would evaluate aspects of the “Passenger Play” feature, including frequency and use scenarios.

What prompted the probe? A Tesla owner in Oregon filed a complaint last month after discovering he could play games and browse the internet while his car was moving. NHTSA said the feature could distract drivers and increase the risk of a crash. Last month, Mercedes-Benz issued a U.S. recall of about 227 cars and updated an internal computer server over a similar configuration that allowed drivers to browse the internet or watch television while the cars were in motion.

Dig deeper: Listen to Caleb Bailey’s report on federal rules mandating anti–drunk driving technology in all new cars.