Tribune South Africa, December 13, Beijing time, morning news, Tesla The recently released software over-the-air update provides an unexpected new feature that allows motorists to play games while driving. This has aroused the concerns of the US federal safety regulators.
This is Tesla’s breakthrough in driving safety again. The U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHYSA) has repeatedly expressed concerns about Tesla’s Autopilot assisted driving system and the recent “Fully Automated Driving” (FSD) function.
Vince Patton, a retired journalist based in Portland, Oregon, reported the issue with Tesla Motors. He saw a video on YouTube showing that the driver can play games on the large central control screen of the Tesla car. He then tried it on his Model 3 and found that he could play cards and other games while the car was driving. He said: “Some people will die because of this. It makes me stunned.”
Tesla is no stranger to NHTSA and another safety regulator, the United States Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Both agencies have initiated safety investigations many times for reasons including car battery fires. Since Tesla first provided the Autopilot function to drivers in 2015, relevant supervision has begun to strengthen. Regulators have investigated multiple car accidents related to Tesla Motors, especially an accident that occurred in Florida in 2016 that resulted in the death of a former SEAL member.
In August News Website in South Africa of this year, NHTSA began investigating 11 car accidents that have occurred in the United States since January 2018. In some accidents, Autopilot-enabled cars ran into police cars and fire trucks parked on the side of the road.
The agency confirmed last week that it is questioning Tesla about the recent software update that allows drivers to play games while driving. NHTSA said in a statement: “We have taken note of the concerns of drivers and are discussing related functions with manufacturers. Car accidents caused by inattention while driving is a worrying issue, especially when equipped with entertainment screens. Waiting for a series of convenient technology vehicles.”
At present, almost all new cars are equipped with large screens for controlling functions such as radio, air conditioning and navigation. Ford and General MotorsIt even introduced an app store, allowing drivers to order takeaways and air tickets through the central control large screen. However, when the vehicle is running, this type of function is usually restricted. For example, in Jeep’s latest Grand Wagney model, the front passenger can watch the video through an additional screen, but the design of the screen ensures that the driver cannot see the image.
However, Tesla has introduced a pop-up menu in this update, and drivers can start the game through this menu. Tesla has not yet responded to this. Last year, the company disbanded its public relations department.
According to US federal safety regulations, automakers must strictly abide by regulatory requirements, including what operations the central control screen can be used for when the vehicle is driving. In most cases, the driver cannot even use Bluetooth to pair a smartphone during driving.
Because the driver monitoring system is not activated when driving in Autopilot mode, Tesla has been slammed by Consumer Reports, the Road Safety Insurance Institute and other institutions. On Tesla cars, the driver may fall asleep behind the steering wheel, or even climb out of the driver’s seat.
Inattention while driving has become a major concern for safety regulators. NHTSA estimates that approximately 9% of traffic accident fatalities in the United States are caused by inattention while driving, reaching approximately 3,100 in 2019.
In addition to vehicle safety issues, Tesla also faces other issues. Two female employees sued that Tesla tolerated a “hostile working environment” in the factory. Erica Cloud, a Tesla vehicle assembly line worker, said the harassment was “continuous and ubiquitous”. However, after reporting the problem to Tesla’s human resources department, she was retaliated against.
Last year, a U.S. federal court ruled that Tesla gave outsourcing worker Owen Diaz (O wen Diaz) in compensation of 137 million U.S. dollars. Diaz stated that he suffered persistent racial discrimination while working at Tesla’s San Francisco factory.
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