NHTSA said Tuesday it is closing its investigation into 580,000 Tesla vehicles over the automaker’s decision to initially allow games to be played on the front center touchscreen.
Shortly after NHTSA opened its investigation into Tesla’s “Passenger Play” in December 2021, Tesla agreed to stop allowing video games to be played on vehicle screens while its cars are moving. NHTSA said Tuesday it was not seeking a recall of the vehicles but said its analysis of data provided by Tesla “produced significant concerns about driver distraction during the time that it was available.”
NHTSA said in closing the investigation without seeking a recall it was not indicating “a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists. Furthermore, it does not foreclose the agency from taking further action, if warranted.”
Tesla, which did not immediately respond to a request to comment, told NHTSA that no consumer complaints or collisions had been reported concerning the use of Passenger Play in the subject vehicles during a year of use.
