[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/tesla-update-drivers-can-play-video-games-in-moving-cars\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/tesla-update-drivers-can-play-video-games-in-moving-cars\/","headline":"Tesla Update: Drivers Can Play Video Games in Moving Cars","name":"Tesla Update: Drivers Can Play Video Games in Moving Cars","description":"Tesla Motors has recently been featured in the news for a potential safety hazard in the latest system update, raising concerns regarding safety and distracted driving. Over the summer of 2021, Tesla quietly updated their vehicle systems, allowing drivers to play interactive Tesla Arcade games while driving.","datePublished":"2021-12-14","dateModified":"2026-03-26","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Samer Habbas, Esq","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":1,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/328046d5a3bfc49c9999e96862d136a3f4bc810c33ae5a18d4d702bce2c20ecf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/328046d5a3bfc49c9999e96862d136a3f4bc810c33ae5a18d4d702bce2c20ecf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Samer Habbas & Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1241504_HabbasLogoUpdates_Logo1_Op1Black_060822-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1241504_HabbasLogoUpdates_Logo1_Op1Black_060822-scaled.jpg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Tesla-software-update-self-driving-autopilot-video-games.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Tesla-software-update-self-driving-autopilot-video-games.jpg","height":1067,"width":1600},"url":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/tesla-update-drivers-can-play-video-games-in-moving-cars\/","about":["Auto Accidents","News & Information"],"wordCount":1217,"articleBody":"Tesla Motors has recently been featured in the news for a potential safety hazard in the latest system update, raising concerns regarding safety and distracted driving. Over the summer of 2021, Tesla quietly updated their vehicle systems, allowing drivers to play interactive Tesla Arcade games while driving.\u00a0Do Tesla games work while driving?Before, occupants were only able to play games when the car was in park. The new in-motion feature prompts a notification before launching a game stating \u201cUse of Tesla Arcade while the vehicle is in motion is only for passengers. Please check local laws prior to playing\u201d. Then, all the driver has to do is tap \u201cI am a Passenger\u201d in order to proceed, which is hardly an obstacle.\u00a0Given that sensors in the front passenger seat determine whether airbags deploy, it is notable that Tesla does not use their own tech to verify whether someone is actually seated in the front passenger seat. The end result of this software update is that drivers can play video games while flying down the interstate, or moving across town.\u00a0It is not clear whether Tesla hoped common sense would prevail for their drivers, or their verification (tapping the \u201cI am a passenger\u201d button) was sufficient from both a safety and liability standpoint. More than one Tesla owner noticed, and as of December 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had received more than 60 complaints from concerned Model 3 vehicle owners. The NHTSA, an agency of the Department of Transportation,\u00a0 aims to “save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce vehicle-related crashes.”Can you drive a Tesla during a software update?Ironically, Tesla vehicles are not able to initiate updates while in motion, \u201cas a safety measure\u201d. However, Tesla owners can begin to install an update and finish downloading while driving, but the download phase may be paused if the car becomes disconnected from Wi-Fi.How often do Teslas update?Teslas typically have a 30 to 60-day patch cycle, which means that you may not get every single update. This ensures the electric vehicle fleet is not prone to single-bug failures. Some updates can be quite large, so it is probably best to have a strong Wi-Fi signal.\u00a02018 Fatal Tesla Crash InvestigationMost vehicle crashes are investigated by local agencies, with the federal agency National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) only stepping in when an element of public interest is at stake. In June of this year, the agency has investigated 10 Tesla crash deaths since 2016.\u00a0In February 2020, the NTSB released their results of an investigation of a fatal Tesla crash on March 23, 2018,\u00a0 in Mountain View, CA. The driver of the Tesla was a 38-year-old Apple employee driving a 2017 Tesla Model X P100D electric-powered SUV semi-autonomously using Tesla’s Autopilot software. The NTSB found the \u201cTesla autopilot system did not provide an effective means of monitoring the driver\u2019s level of engagement with the driving task\u201d the driver did not take evasive action to prevent the crash, \u201cmost likely due to distraction by a cell phone game application.\u201d\u00a0Self-Driving Cars Cause Accidents Due To Distracted DrivingAlthough a self-driving car won\u2019t drive drunk or take its eyes off the road, the world has yet to see an autonomous vehicle that is equipped to drive itself safely for every situation. That being said\u2014despite how far Tesla Motors and other automakers have come in the development of autonomous programs\u2014drivers need to stay alert and be prepared to take control regardless of the auto-pilot system.The NHTSA is concerned with the move, due primarily to the already-high instances of crashes due to drivers being distracted behind the wheel. Distracted driving claimed 3,142 lives in 2019, as reported by the NHTSA.\u00a0In the first six months of this year, approximately 20,160 people died in traffic crashes, according to the Department of Transportation. That was up 18.4 percent from the first half of 2020, and the highest total since 2006.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proclaimed eight Americans die each day due to distracted driving. So what is the link between Tesla and distracted driving?\u00a0Distracted Driving Laws and Autopilot CarsDistracted driving laws apply to all drivers, no matter if an autopilot system is enabled in a vehicle\u2014texting and driving are prohibited to anyone sitting behind the wheel.\u00a0One big concern with Tesla tech features is that their systems allow drivers to rely on automation so that they can do other things. While most drivers have cell phones, tablets, or even laptops, the offering of Tesla\u2019s own 17-inch touchscreen (officially called the media control unit) to play games seems like a bold offering of a distraction may contradict their message of encouraging drivers to keep their eyes on the road. In an age when we are so accustomed to clicking or tapping boxes to accept terms and conditions or warnings, Tesla\u2019s warning may not be sufficient.\u00a0On one hand, Elon Musk has encouraged drivers to be “please be paranoid” and Tesla has said the software “may do the wrong thing at the worst time.” On the other hand, drivers are easily able to access and play video games.\u00a0 While driver assistance systems (like Tesla\u2019s Full Self-Driving) are legal in California, they still require a person behind the wheel to remain vigilant at all times.\u00a0Concerns About Teenage Drivers and TeslasConcerns about the hazards of distracted driving extend beyond the vehicles\u2019 primary drivers. Many Tesla owners are successful adults who have children of their own, who will or are learning to drive. The topic of whether it\u2019s safe to let teenagers drive tech-heavy vehicles like Teslas is a hot topic. Many drivers understand the risk of taking their eyes off the road or hands off the wheel, and avoid doing so but are concerned about the safety of their children.\u00a0Learning to drive a Tesla\u2014either with autopilot or full self-driving\u2014could be compared to a pilot learning to drive a multi-engine jet aircraft, never having learned to fly in a single-engine airplane with a propeller. Tesla offers the technology to make driving mindless, although it is still not illegal, it is a dangerous carrot to dangle, especially with newer drivers on the road.\u00a0Other Safety Concerns with TeslasTesla again made headlines again in December 2021 when the NHTSA said it was communicating with Tesla regarding faulty Autopilot cameras in some of its US-made electric vehicles. The company did not issue a recall but authorized service centers to replace the faulty cameras for eligible Tesla owners on a goodwill basis, meaning Tesla will pay for it.\u00a0Tesla\u2019s Liability in Car Accidents. Contact an Experienced Orange County Personal Injury Lawyer Today!Our team is closely monitoring the potential liability of Tesla for vehicle accidents. If you or a loved one have been in an accident involving a Tesla or distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation. The Orange County car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can help! Our personal injury lawyers have experience in handling a variety of accident claims, including Tesla accidents. With multiple offices located in Irvine, Anaheim, Los Angeles, El Segundo, Riverside and San Diego, our car accident lawyers represent injured victims across Southern California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an accident attorney, please call 888-848-5084."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Tesla Update: Drivers Can Play Video Games in Moving Cars","item":"https:\/\/www.habbaspilaw.com\/tesla-update-drivers-can-play-video-games-in-moving-cars\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]