Video of Tesla Cybertruck driver wearing Apple Vision Pro headset raises safety concerns
Two major tech releases in a short space of time were inevitably going to lead to social media attention of some sort.
Apple just released its Vision Pro last Friday, so it was only a matter of time until online attention was drawn by showing off another latest tech product - Tesla's Cybertruck.
The 19th Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, shared a clip on X with the reminder that '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.'
Buttigieg's tweet was in response to a 23-second clip that was posted on February 2nd - the same day that the Apple Vision Pro hit US shelves.
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The viral clip gained over 24 million views, showing a Tesla Cybertruck driver taking his hands off the steering wheel while wearing the immersive Apple Vision Pro headset.
The driver later admitted that he made the video with friends as a 'skit' and drove the vehicle while wearing the Apple headset for 30 to 40 seconds.
However, it's sounding alarm bells at the U.S. Department of Transportation especially as it could lead to other people tempted to try something similar behind the wheel of Fully Self-Driving (FSD) vehicles.
X users have been quick to draw their conclusions from the clip, with a lot declaring it reckless and stupid behaviour.
Meanwhile, some keen-eyed viewers knew immediately that the video wasn't real with the reason being that Tesla's Cybertruck doesn't yet have an Autopilot feature.
Apple states in the Vision Pro user guide: 'Never use the device while operating a moving vehicle, bicycle, heavy machinery, or in any other situations requiring attention to safety.'
The founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, has been facing a lot of criticism around the safety of his electric vehicle range, with some former Tesla employees hitting back at the safety of its Autopilot feature.
Having received numerous reports about defective systems across its model line-up, a lot of Tesla fans are admitting to 'losing confidence' in the company and its vehicles.
The issue that's meant to ensure drivers still have their eyes on the road when using the self-driving feature caused over 2 million vehicles to be recalled back in December.
Whether the videos are posted by clout-chasers, or it's a major marketing ploy, it can be pretty dangerous in the kind of message it sends to certain viewers.