This dangerous use of the Apple Vision Pro could be fatal

Not days after the release of the Apple Vision Pro headset were users spotted driving their Tesla cars whilst wearing them. Unsurprisingly, this has drawn widespread criticism at the reckless owners usage.

The Apple Vision Pro comes with a price tag of over $3,500. While costly, one might hope that this expense would at least deter a concerning new trend across the Atlantic. Since the release of Apple's new Vision Pro on Friday, February 2, 2024, videos of Tesla drivers wearing the headset have been widely shared. Not only are these Tesla drivers incorrectly using the self-driving feature incorrectly, they are are now doing so whilst being in a different, albeit virtual, reality. 

Whether or not is just for the sake of creating a video in the hopes of going viral (mission accomplished for the Apple Vision Pro - Tesla driver), or if people do not realise the potential fatal dangers of their actions whilst using the Vision Pros on the open road, this is a worrying sight. This absurd practice has prompted the U.S government to intervene and issue a statement. 

This has understandably infuriated road safety associations, and the U.S. government is already expressing concerns about the consequences. Apple has explicitly stated that the headset should never be used while operating a moving vehicle. Interestingly, Elon Musk is still yet to make any comment. 

Already, these Apple Vision videos in Teslas have received over 50 million views. The two main videos on the subject, cumulatively, have achieved 50 million views on X (previously Twitter) alone. Since then, another video featuring a driver in the brand-new Tesla Cybertruck has gained attention. However, while the Model Y can operate with "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) autonomy, marginally limiting risks, the same cannot be said for the Cybertruck. This presents a higher level of danger in the second driver's video.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, had to issue a reminder of driving rules on X in response to the second video: "Reminder - All advanced driver assistance systems available today require the human driver to stay in control and fully engage in driving at all times."

As you may have quickly noticed, there is a commonality among these drivers: they all drive Teslas. The false sense of security promoted by the brand over the years regarding internally developed Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is leading to increasing reckless behavior on American roads. Over the years, we've seen dogs at the wheel of Teslas or driver seats left empty. Unfortunately, there's nothing particularly new in the world of the brand's enthusiasts.