Viral video of Tesla driver carrying Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional headset raises security considerations

A viral video of a motorist seeming to let Tesla’s new Cybertruck drive itself whereas carrying the brand new Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional headset is sounding alarm bells on the highest ranges of the U.S. Division of Transportation.

Regardless of their names, Tesla’s assisted driving options — Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving — don’t imply the autos are absolutely autonomous, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg mentioned Monday on social media.

“Reminder — all superior driver help programs accessible at present require the human driver to be in management and absolutely engaged within the driving activity always,” Buttigieg posted on X (previously Twitter).

Buttigieg’s tweet got here in reply to a video that had greater than 24 million views of a Tesla driver taking his palms off the steering wheel whereas apparently controlling a digital actuality show of the sort utilized by Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional. The 23-second clip was posted on February 2, the day the dear Imaginative and prescient Professional hit shops cabinets within the U.S. 

Apple particularly cautions in opposition to utilizing the Imaginative and prescient Professional whereas driving in its customers information. “By no means use the system whereas working a transferring car, bicycle, heavy equipment, or in every other conditions requiring consideration to security,” it states. 

Tesla didn’t reply to a request for remark. 

The electrical automaker in December recalled greater than 2 million autos throughout its mannequin lineup to repair a faulty system that’s supposed to make sure drivers are paying consideration after they use the Autopilot characteristic.

The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration in 2021 launched an investigation into Tesla over crashes that resulted in additional than a dozen fatalities involving Tesla’s driver-assisted options. The company late final 12 months instructed CBS Information its probe discovered Autopilot’s technique of making certain drivers are taking note of be insufficient.

Autopilot can steer, speed up and brake mechanically in its lane, however cannot drive itself. In a report filed with NHTSA, Tesla mentioned Autopilot’s controls “might not be adequate to forestall driver misuse.”

The motive force of the Tesla within the video instructed Gizmodo that he made the video with associates as a “skit” and drove the car whereas carrying the Apple headset for 30 to 40 seconds.