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 stated Monday on social media.

“Reminder — all superior driver help methods out there at the moment require the human driver to be in management and absolutely engaged within the driving job 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 fingers 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 stores shelves in the U.S. 

Apple particularly cautions in opposition to utilizing the Imaginative and prescient Professional whereas driving in its customers guide. “By no means use the gadget whereas working a shifting 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 more than 2 million vehicles throughout its mannequin lineup to repair a faulty system that’s supposed to make sure drivers are paying consideration once 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 guaranteeing drivers are taking note of be insufficient.

Autopilot can steer, speed up and brake routinely in its lane, however cannot drive itself. In a report filed with NHTSA, Tesla stated Autopilot’s controls “might not be ample 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.