WASHINGTON (AP)—
A AAA study says the infotainment technology that automakers squeeze into the new car dashboard is getting drivers to take their eyes off the road and move their hands off the wheel for a dangerous long time.
The study, released on Thursday, is the latest study by University of Utah professor David Strayer, who has been studying the impact of information entertainment systems on AAA Traffic Safety Foundation safety since 2013.
Past research has also found problems, but strye says the "technology explosion" makes things worse.
Now, automakers offer more options to allow drivers to use social media, email, and text.
The use of this technology has also become more and more complex.
The car used to have several buttons and knobs.
Some vehicles now have up to 50 + buttons on the steering wheel and dashboardfunctional.
Touch screen, voice command, writing board, head-
Windshield, mirror and 3-on displayD computer-
The generated image.
"This adds more and more layers of complexity and information to the driver's fingertips, without often considering whether it's a good idea to put it at their fingertips," said Strayer . ".
This complexity increases the total time the driver is trying to use the system.
The automotive industry says the new system is a better choice for drivers compared to mobile phones and navigation devices that are not used while driving. The vehicle-
The integrated system "is designed to be used in a driving environment and requires the driver's attention, which is comparable to adjusting the radio or regulating climate control, when driving, these controls have long been considered acceptable to the baseline, "said Wade Newton, spokesman for the automotive manufacturers alliance.
But AAA director of traffic safety advocacy and research Jack Nelson, each of the 30 cars and light trucks tested in the study uses the infotainment system, information and entertainment systems are used in all 2017 models.
Drivers use voice commands, touch screens and other interactive technologies to make phone calls, send text, adjust radio or program navigation while driving.
It is clear that automakers are not working hard enough to make the system fast and easy to use, Nielsen said.
According to the driver's attention requirements, the researchers rated 23 of the 30 vehicles "very high" or "high.
Seven people were rated as "medium ".
"No one needs little attention to use it.
Program the destination-
The vehicle GPS navigation system is the most distracting activity, and it takes an average of 40 seconds for the driver to complete the task. At 25 mph (40 kph)
, The car can travel the length of four football fields within the time required to enter the destination.
Previous studies have shown that the risk of a driver's crash that takes the eyes off the road for two seconds has doubled.
Under pressure from the industry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a voluntary safety guide for dashboard technology to automakers in 2012, rather than an executable safety standard.
This guide recommends the programming ability of the car manufacturer to lock the navigation system while the car is driving.
In this study, however, 12 cars have the ability to program navigation while driving.
The guide also recommends that automakers prevent drivers from texting while driving, but there are three
The quarter of the test vehicle allows the driver to text while the car is driving.
Texting is the second one.
The most distracting task performed by the test driver.
When using voice commands, drivers are less off the road, but this security advantage is offset by an increase in the amount of time the driver interacts with the system.
AAA said drivers should "use infotainment technology only in legitimate emergencies or emergency driving"
Related use.
It also urges automakers to block the ability of navigation systems to program or send text while driving.
It says automakers should also design infotainment systems so that they don't need more attention to use in addition to listening to radio or audiobooks.
Nearly 70% of the population in the United StatesS.
According to an opinion survey on AAA, adults say they want to use new technology on their cars, but only 24% think the technology is already very effective.
Marshall Donnie, President and CEO of AAA, said: "Drivers want safe and easy-to-use technology," but many of the features added to today's infotainment system cause the driver's user experience to be too complicated, sometimes even frustrating.
AAA distracted driving learning.