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Friday December 13, 2024

VIDEO: Tesla owners warned not to wear Apple virtual reality headsets while driving

Tesla owners wearing Apple virtual reality headsets while driving are raising concerns on social media

By Web Desk
February 06, 2024

Tesla owners were warned to keep their eyes on the road after videos of drivers using Apple's virtual reality headset went viral.

Pete Buttigieg, the US Secretary of Transportation, stated in a post on X (previously Twitter) that the driver of any modern car must be engaged "at all times", according to BBC.

Online videos feature people driving cars with autonomous modes on while donning an Apple headpiece over their heads.

Pete Buttigieg reposted one of them with the message, "Reminder — 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."

On the day that the Apple Vision Pro went on sale, another video that appeared to show a guy getting pulled over by the police while using the headset in a Tesla was shared online.

Gizmodo, meanwhile, claims that he "drove with the headset for 30-40 seconds" and claimed that it was a "skit" he made with buddies.

While Tesla advises drivers to always "maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle," even when it is in autonomous mode, Apple's user handbook cautions against using its headset while operating a motor vehicle.

On February 2nd, the US market saw the release of the $3,499 (£2,749) Apple Vision Pro headset. In the UK, there is no release date for it.

Even if the glass allows for some degree of see-through, driving would still be significantly impaired.

The business refers to it as "spatial computing" rather than virtual reality or any other term that would be confusing.

It stated in a blog post aimed at developers, "Don't label your app experience as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), or mixed reality (MR)."

Videos of people using the headset at the gym and on the New York tube have also been uploaded online.