Viral video of a Tesla driver wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset raises safety concerns

A viral video of a motorist seems to allow for this The new Tesla Cybertruck Self-driving while wearing the new Apple Vision Pro headset is ringing alarm bells at the highest levels of the US Department of Transportation.

Despite their names, Tesla's assisted driving features — Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving — do not mean the vehicles are fully self-driving, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday on social media.

“Reminder – all advanced driver assistance systems available today require that the human driver be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times,” Buttigieg posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Buttigieg's tweet came in response to a video with more than 24 million views of a Tesla driver taking his hands off the steering wheel while appearing to control a virtual reality display of the type used by Apple's Vision Pro. The 23-second clip was posted on February 2, the day the pricey Vision Pro was launched It hit store shelves in the United States.

Apple specifically warns against using Vision Pro while driving for its users Guide. “Never use the device while operating a moving vehicle, bicycle, heavy machinery, or in any other situations requiring attention to safety.”

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

Electric car maker in December Recalling more than 2 million cars across its model lineup to fix the faulty system that is supposed to ensure drivers pay attention when they use the autopilot feature.

In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Tesla over crashes resulting in more than a dozen deaths related to Tesla's driver-assistance features. Late last year, the agency told CBS News that its investigation found that Autopilot's means of ensuring drivers' attention were inadequate.

Autopilot can automatically steer, accelerate, and brake in its lane, but it cannot drive itself. In a report to NHTSA, Tesla said Autopilot controls “may not be sufficient to prevent driver abuse.”

The Tesla driver said in the video Gizmodo That he filmed the video with friends as a “skit” and drove the car while wearing an Apple headphone for 30 to 40 seconds.