Viral Video Of An Apple Vision Pro Owner In A Cybertruck Sparks Government Warning
by
Ben Funk
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Wednesday, February 07, 2024, 10:32 AM EDT
Whether it's a foolish skit or a serious attempt at multitasking, driving a vehicle while wearing an Apple Vision Pro was bound to happen. It's important to note that the Tesla driver who went viral on X / Twitter for donning Cupertino's augmented reality headset most likely broke a whole slew of laws while doing so. He also caught the eyes of a high-ranking U.S. government official, bringing more attention than he bargained for.
Apple has sold a whole load of Vision Pro units so far, and apparently one of these buyers tried to get creative and justify the minimum $3,500 expenditure. X user @lentinidante posted several short videos, which he later claimed were staged skits, of himself using a Tesla Cybertruck and a Vision Pro in different scenes. In one, he's in the driver's seat of the moving vehicle while air-typing. Another that's sure to be amusing to junior high school students around the world shows him exiting a port-a-potty, where we're led to believe he conducted his affairs in VR, and then gets into another vehicle.
We've all been there, right?
Of course, these videos started to make the rounds on the internet, as goofy things often do. One notable person who took notice was U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who re-posted one of the videos. This one was taken from the perspective of another vehicle as it passed the Cybertruck with @lentidante at the wheel, typing away while wearing the Vision Pro. Buttigieg warned his followers that being behind the wheel requires the driver's full attention.
Never mind the fact that Tesla's autopilot mode has been subject to lawsuits and recalls; the Cybertruck doesn't even have the feature, making the stunt potentially even more dangerous. There are plenty of other totally legal ways to use the Vision Pro and look like a fool in public. Wear it to the gym, or use it while grocery shopping so you can check things off your list. We suppose you could wear it to the beach, but you might want Apple Care+ to avoid the insane repair bill if it gets soggy or sandy.
When contacted by Gizmodo, @lentidante said that he was "just in the right place at the right time" and filmed the police vehicle with its lights on opportunistically, rather than actually being pulled over or arrested. He also told the outlet that he only wore the headset for 30-40 seconds at a time. No word on how long he thinks it's safe to wear the Vision Pro while driving, though we're not sure we'd take his advice. We thought this might go without saying, but apparently not: operating any vehicle while wearing a VR headset, even Apple's with its magic see-through capabilities, is an incredibly bad idea.