US opens investigation into 580,000 Tesla vehicles over game feature

U.S auto safety regulators said Wednesday they have opened a formal safety investigation into 580,000 Tesla vehicles sold since 2017 over the automaker`s decision to allow games to be played on the front center touchscreen.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said its preliminary evaluation covers various 2017-2022 model year Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles. 

This functionality, referred to as “Passenger Play,” "may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash," the agency said.

NHTSA said it has "confirmed that this capability has been available since December 2020 in Tesla `Passenger Play`-equipped vehicles." Before then, the game feature "was enabled only when the vehicle was in Park."