Tesla under investigation over Passenger Play game feature

The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened yet another investigation into Tesla – this time for its Passenger Play video game feature.

Available to around 580,000 US-delivered vehicles produced since 2017, the function allows those in the passenger seat to play games on the central touchscreen and was rolled out as an over-the-air update earlier this year.

According to Automotive News, the safety investigation has been opened to determine whether the system, "may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash," as earlier failsafes such as the vehicle needing to be in park have now been removed.

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While Tesla allegedly includes warnings for the games, which warn "playing while the car is in motion is only for passengers", the NHTSA still seems unsatisfied about the manufacturer's approach and will likely want the aforementioned failsafes to be reinstated.

The NHTSA is currently investigating Tesla over its Autopilot system after 11 crashes were recorded involving parked law enforcement vehicles while the system was engaged, although it is believed there are more than 765,000 Tesla-made vehicles on the road in the US alone.

It's not clear as to how governments will regulate in-car app usage in the future as autonomous vehicles become the new norm, although when Tesla's Full Self-Driving costs an extra $10,000, not everyone is able to take their hands off the wheel just yet.