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[SoCal Rob]

To all the folks who want video on the main display, I thinks it’s helpful to consider that in our increasingly-litigious society, one of the people clamoring for this would attempt to find EV Play liable for their crash if it benefitted them. Given that, it is reasonable for a business to prohibit something which is not a widely-available feature and which could increased their liability. The decision may even be the result of discussions with business insurance carriers or legal counsel.

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[EV Play - Alex]

If you want to claim "because it's the law," that's fine. Then cling to that. Heck, even if it were only law in one state, that would be enough, imo. I have a CarPodGo screen now that I can't play video on, but had a Porsche Cayenne where I could both stream and play DVDs. But to argue that it's the "right thing to do" misses the mark, to me, considering every single thing you listed is already just as, if not more, distracting than video in motion would be. It's case by case, driver by driver. Some might "casually glance" like some might spend minutes searching for the right songs on Apple or Spotify. Others might not. These distractions happen both regularly and irregularly. Hearing dialogue from my kids watching a movie in the background? Easy to tune out. A sudden horn, accident, or siren popping up? Much more jarring. Other cars are *always* around. Sirens *regularly* occur. Passengers in your car talking to you happens *all the time* unless you're 100% a solo driver. Needing to adjust the HVAC, switch from one podcast to the next, adjust navigation, search for a new DCFC option - all of that - happens for more often than many people might "video in motion." And it's *their* responsibility to police. They're all massive distractions. To draw the line at "video in motion" which I actually find pretty easy to ignore while driving, in turn ignores every other distraction since the car was invented that are solely the responsibility of the driver. Just say "because it's illegal" and be done with it. I would order EVPlay either way, but choosing a line in the sand to draw because "no, *this* one.. this one is a distraction we cannot allow.. those others.. naaahh.." just falls flat to me.

It sounds like you might have missed the reason EV Play was created in the first place. As explained on the Website, I dug into this because I was a horribly distracted driver. And it nearly killed me. Over three thousand people last year weren't so fortunate. There are plenty of distractions that happen every 2 seconds, as you pointed out. But my goal for EV Play, through voice assistants, is to try and reduce or eliminate the times you need to take your eyes off the road. Switching the HVAC, adjusting navigation, and switching podcasts are all things you can do through voice assistants or through button control. Siri cannot watch a movie for you, however. That's the distinction.

To clarify, there is no law regarding the sale of devices that enable video-in-motion. It is illegal for you to use such a device, however, including the bypass you installed on your Cayenne. And while I'm a firm believer or "your vehicle, your choices" standpoint, I do happen to agree with it because driving simply doesn't happen in a vacuum. If my kid is in the crosswalk and you are "glancing" at the screen, then you put my kid at risk. No thanks.

Is there a way for me to tell who is going to be responsible and not watch a video while driving, or who won't be blinded by a flash bang or explosion at night? There is not. Thuse, your "case by case" basis doesn't work. Like the actual law, it has to be applied universally.

Again, it is one of numerous distractions that happen consistently while driving. But it only takes one more, in a tenth of second, to kill or severely hurt someone. I certainly don't want my invention adding to the problem. Especially when the entire ethos behind it was to subtract from the problem. If it prevents just ONE death or injury, I certainly am happy to withstand the occasional pushback on the decision.

 

[EV Play - Alex]

To all the folks who want video on the main display, I thinks it’s helpful to consider that in our increasingly-litigious society, one of the people clamoring for this would attempt to find EV Play liable for their crash if it benefitted them. Given that, it is reasonable for a business to prohibit something which is not a widely-available feature and which could increased their liability. The decision may even be the result of discussions with business insurance carriers or legal counsel.

Well said. This is a sad, but very real possibility that contributed to my decision.

 

[jewwithguitar]

Will EV Play be compatible with a vehicle that has Comma AI device installed?

 

[EV Play - Alex]

Will EV Play be compatible with a vehicle that has Comma AI device installed?

Yes.

 

[risingphoenix]

Any updates on parts and estimated shipping timeline?

 

[EV Play - Alex]

I agree, in principle, with all of this. But what it also does is apply to every other distraction in a car too. I guarantee people have been killed while someone was adjusting the tuner on a radio, or flipping a cassette, or driving with their legs while going through the CDs in their CaseLogic. Radios, tape decks and CaseLogics didn't become illegal. And that was my point. If you're not accounting for all distractions, then why this one? Do you have hard data to show that drivers actually pay more attention to moving video on a screen than they do trying to search for a navigation way point or type in an address?

There is no saintly, altruistic behavior going on here to try to save lives if you're not accounting for every distraction that can result in a death that this device can control. If this device allows for keyboards while driving, then I have news for you.

Just because radios, HVAC, power windows, variably frustrating blindspots, phone calls, frustrating touch-screens, searching for music in Apple Music, etc., already exist, some of them for decades, does not magically make them "ok" or "safe", but video-in-motion is the line in the quicksand you just *can't* abide. You and every person that agrees with you seem to be missing that point entirely.

The crux is, if you can't do video-in-motion but are passing-through other distractions, you'll be just as potentially liable when actively key-typing in ABRP results in a death as you would if someone was passively watching a video. So if your goal is to prevent and protect, then everything should be disabled. It seems more that it's just to protect yourself, which is fine.. every company has to.. but don't blanket yourself in protecting others if you're not actually doing it.

If you're not accounting for all distractions, then why this one?

Because of that pesky little thing called "odds." The more times you take your eyes off the road, the higher the probability of an accident. That point is not debatable.

...you'll be just as potentially liable when actively key-typing in ABRP results in a death as you would if someone was passively watching a video.

Simply not true. Again, I and other manufacturers make the distinction, as does the law, between features that serve a useful purpose -- the "info" in "infotainment" -- and those that do not -- the "tainment" in that same word. It isn't difficult to support that getting from one point to another is an important part of driving. It is impossible to support that watching videos is equally important. If you don't believe there is a difference, then imagine what a police officer, a judge, opposing counsel, or the victims' families would do if they learned that you were watching Family Guy while running into a crosswalk full of children. The consequences and liability would be far, far more severe than if you were simply looking down to adjust your navigation.

Of course, if I disabled all features while driving, then I wouldn't sell any of these things. But then you would just be key-typing navigation results into some other device, including the stock navigation. With the current iteration of the Rivian UI, you don't have much of a choice (Alexa as voice assistant has proven to fall short). However, there is no "other device" when it comes to video-in-motion. Is it simply non-essential to driving.

Long story short, you have to consider the net distractions given alternative methods. EV Play makes it far easier across all functions NOT TO key in anything. If you're staring at your screen typing in something that you could have accomplished by using a voice assistant, and you cause an accident, you're the dummy. And I hate to view this through a liability lense, but proving liability when alternatives exist would be an uphill battle. The same cannot be said about video-in-motion.

 

[risingphoenix]

If you're not accounting for all distractions, then why this one?

Because of that pesky little thing called "odds." The more times you take your eyes off the road, the higher the probability of an accident. That point is not debatable.

...you'll be just as potentially liable when actively key-typing in ABRP results in a death as you would if someone was passively watching a video.

Simply not true. Again, I and other manufacturers make the distinction, as does the law, between features that serve a useful purpose -- the "info" in "infotainment" -- and those that do not -- the "tainment" in that same word. It isn't difficult to support that getting from one point to another is an important part of driving. It is impossible to support that watching videos is equally important. If you don't believe there is a difference, then imagine what a police officer, a judge, opposing counsel, or the victims' families would do if they learned that you were watching Family Guy while running into a crosswalk full of children. The consequences and liability would be far, far more severe than if you were simply looking down to adjust your navigation.

Of course, if I disabled all features while driving, then I wouldn't sell any of these things. But then you would just be key-typing navigation results into some other device, including the stock navigation. With the current iteration of the Rivian UI, you don't have much of a choice (Alexa as voice assistant has proven to fall short). However, there is no "other device" when it comes to video-in-motion. Is it simply non-essential to driving.

Long story short, you have to consider the net distractions given alternative methods. EV Play makes it far easier across all functions NOT TO key in anything. If you're staring at your screen typing in something that you could have accomplished by using a voice assistant, and you cause an accident, you're the dummy. And I hate to view this through a liability lense, but proving liability when alternatives exist would be an uphill battle. The same cannot be said about video-in-motion.

As an additional counter argument, I applaud your commitment to safety and would not purchase your product if you allowed live video while in motion. If anyone wants to watch a video while traveling get an Uber or have someone more responsible drive.

 

[DayTripping]

As an additional counter argument, I applaud your commitment to safety and would not purchase your product if you allowed live video while in motion. If anyone wants to watch a video while traveling get an Uber or have someone more responsible drive.

I have Comma.AI. Does that count as Uber?

Personally, I am generally for Alex's approach, even if just from a liability perspective. I can always put my iPad on the dash if I want to watch a video while driving.

 

[risingphoenix]

I have Comma.AI. Does that count as Uber?

Personally, I am generally for Alex's approach, even if just from a liability perspective. I can always put my iPad on the dash if I want to watch a video while driving.

pfft. Wear your Vision Pro while driving.

 

[JM.]

A steering wheel mount for the iPad is useful too, while the Comma drives.

 

[CobraJerky]

Quite the stretch to get that angle shot.

Hope this photo was just for the internet points and you’re not really watching YouTube on the highway.

 

[JM.]

LOL, I was hoping someone would notice!

No Youtube, just email and messages and this forum.

 

[EV Play - Alex]

A steering wheel mount for the iPad is useful too, while the Comma drives.

That is awesome, pic of the day!

 

[akc5247]

A steering wheel mount for the iPad is useful too, while the Comma drives.

Woah.

I recall seeing a pic by someone on the forum with like 5-6 screens, not sure if they were storm chasers or similar. Or, was that you as well, Jon?

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