A game is being played on the central console of a car.
When we covered the first video games on the center console, we noted that they only worked when the car was parked. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has guidelines for distracted driving, and the feature that allows the games to be played even when the car is not moving could violate them.
The ability to play games outside of Park is being highlighted in a New York Times report, but the change was seemingly rolled out months ago. Solitaire can be played on a screen in a car in a video that was uploaded in January, but other games don't work with autopilot.
A video posted in July shows a car being shifted into drive and a person playing a game of space shoot-em-up Sky Force Reloaded. The new capability was added in the July update.
When a car is not in park, the central console's ability to stream video services such as Netflix and Hulu are completely disabled, and some owners have tried to find ways around this limitation. When full self-driving is approved by regulators, we will enable video while moving, according to Musk.
When it comes to games, the software of the company notes the possibility of titles running while the car is moving. "Use of Touch Arcade while the vehicle is in motion is only for passengers," reads a warning that pops up before a game launches in the second video. The player must be confirmed as a passenger. The warning says to check local laws.
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There are laws and regulations.
The local laws seem to be against the idea of having a game running while a car is in motion, even if the driver isn't playing. Video screen restriction laws are on the books in 34 states and the District of Columbia according to a round-up by the Consumer Electronics Association. California's law more broadly restricts the use of any video monitor or a video screen or any similar device that displays a video signal while the car is in motion.
Sky Force Reloaded is running on the central screen of a car.
The NHTSA believes that showing active game play on a central console is likely to be a distraction. The agency's "distraction guidelines" suggest that if a driver sees a monitor that is not related to driving, it will interfere with their ability to safely operate the vehicle.
The NHTSA calls out any display of video and continuously moving images and includes things such as video phone calls and other forms of video communication, as well as pre recorded video footage and television, as examples of what to disabling when a car is in motion.
These laws and safety guidelines don't mention video games on in-car displays. The laws were written before the concept of games on a car's central console was considered. Video games are mentioned in a number of laws targeting cell phone use while driving.
Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, told The New York Times that games on a car's console screen are a big concern. It's a problem that is crying out for guidance and regulation from NHTSA.
Many of the failures of the "Autopilot" system were caused by distracted drivers, and many of them were not actively monitoring the car as required. A man in North Carolina was charged last year after his car crashed into a police cruiser while he was on his phone. The driver of the car that crashed into the lane divider may have been playing a mobile game when he died.
The image is on YouTube
