Distracted driving is something that has always been a bit of an issue from the earliest days of motoring. And with the advent of cell phones, the issue has only gotten worse with around a quarter of car accidents being caused by cell phone use while driving, and over 3,000 deaths caused in 2019 in the US from distracted driving.
So when Mercedes found out that the infotainment system in some of their cars allows the car to access the touch screen games while the car was in motion—which would absolutely lead to distracted driving—they quickly issued a recall. This recall covers a few models: the 2021 S580, as well as the 2022 S500, EQS450, and EQS580. But the extent of the issue only affected 227 vehicles (and was able to be fixed by a back end server update), which tells you just how seriously Mercedes is taking this.
Want to Play a Game While Driving? Tesla Says Go Ahead
Tesla, however, seems to have another opinion entirely. Though Tesla is well known for their “Autopilot” feature that takes the wheel during certain driving conditions, it is worrisome that they have decided that having built in games accessible on the touch screen while the car is in motion is a-okay. Though games have long been a part of the infotainment screen on a Tesla—accessible while the car is parked—there was an update over the summer that now allows three games to be played while the car is in motion. Just say that you are a passenger, and they will let you in.
While the NHTSA is evidently aware that this feature has been enabled, they are still in talks with Tesla and it appears that this built-in driver distraction is still available for your distracted driving needs.
So you’ve heard it here, folks. If you prefer an import car company who also cares for the safety of its passengers and others, Mercedes is the way to go. If you have a burning desire to play solitaire and a disregard for life and property, however, there is a chance that Tesla will hook you up.
