“It really is the end of the story.” This is how the X user (formerly Twitter) @ayeejuju expressed himself when sharing a video that shows a person behind the wheel of a Tesla Cybertruck while interacting with Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality glasses. The clip has accumulated more than 23 million views, almost the same as another recording shared on the same social network by the user @Dante, in which he shows himself in the driving position of his white Tesla, equipped with the same gadget from the apple firm. Although both vehicles have Autopilot, this autonomous driving system does not exempt them from keeping their attention on the road.
In fact, Elon Musk’s own brand alerts its customers to this. “Enhanced Autopilot and full self-driving capability are intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take control at a moment’s notice. While these features are designed to enhance your performance over time, the features currently available do not make the vehicle autonomous.” And, obviously, this does not happen if augmented reality glasses are used while driving.
The manufacturers of these virtual reality devices are aware of the risk they may entail if they are used in certain situations, such as the one we are dealing with here. Hence, Apple indicates that Vision Pro should not be used while driving a vehicle, bicycle, heavy machinery or in any other situation that requires attention to ensure safety.
Augmented reality glasses offer an immersive sensory experience to the user, which can distract them from doing other activities well at the same time. The interface resembles that of any Apple tablet or smartphone, with the difference that, to use the applications, voice commands or moving your fingers through the field of vision are required.
The Tesla Cybertruck is a huge all-wheel drive pick-up with an ultra-resistant stainless steel body. It is sold in several mechanical and autonomy versions (the one with the shortest range offers about 400 kilometers). Depending on the number of engines it is equipped with – one, two or three – the performance varies. For example, the most basic version certifies an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and the most powerful, with three engines, achieves the same speed in 2.7 seconds. In terms of technological equipment, like its range brothers, it has Autopilot.
This autonomous driving system is very advanced, but it does not relieve the driver of his responsibilities behind the wheel. Hence, virtual glasses cannot be used while driving because their use affects road safety. So much so that @Dante himself was able to verify it, because in his video you can see how the police stopped him.