Tesla’s Cybertruck Video with Apple Vision Pro Raises Concerns at U.S. Department of Transportation
A recent viral video featuring a motorist seemingly allowing Tesla’s new Cybertruck to drive itself while wearing the new Apple Vision Pro headset has caught the attention of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The video has raised concerns about the misuse of Tesla’s assisted driving features and the potential dangers associated with it.
Despite the names given to Tesla’s driving assistance features, such as Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving, it is important to note that these features do not make the vehicles fully autonomous. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg took to social media to clarify this misconception. In a tweet, he emphasized that all advanced driver assistance systems available today require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times.
Buttigieg’s tweet was in response to a video that garnered over 24 million views. The video showed a Tesla driver taking his hands off the steering wheel while seemingly controlling a virtual reality display similar to Apple’s Vision Pro. The video was posted on February 2, coinciding with the release of the Vision Pro headset in the United States.
Apple, however, explicitly advises against using the Vision Pro while operating a moving vehicle or engaging in any activity that requires attention to safety. Their user guide clearly states, “Never use the device while operating a moving vehicle, bicycle, heavy machinery, or in any other situations requiring attention to safety.”
Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the video. This incident comes after Tesla recalled over 2 million vehicles in December due to a defective system that was meant to ensure drivers remain attentive when using the Autopilot feature.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into Tesla in 2021 following several crashes that resulted in multiple fatalities involving Tesla’s driver-assisted features. The NHTSA’s probe found Autopilot’s methods of ensuring driver attention to be inadequate. While Autopilot can steer, accelerate, and brake automatically within its lane, it is not designed to drive the vehicle entirely on its own. Tesla acknowledged in a report filed with the NHTSA that the controls of Autopilot “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”
The driver of the Tesla in the video explained to Gizmodo that he had made the video as a “skit” with friends. He admitted to driving the vehicle while wearing the Apple headset for approximately 30 to 40 seconds.
These incidents highlight the importance of understanding the limitations of advanced driver assistance systems and the responsibility that lies with the human driver. While technology continues to advance, it is crucial for drivers to remain fully engaged and in control of their vehicles at all times.
As the investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation unfolds, it serves as a reminder that safety should always be the top priority when utilizing any form of driving assistance technology.