Hi-tech cars: Driver distraction warning in US

[Piwoslaw]

Hi-tech cars: Driver distraction warning in US - BBC News

US transport safety officials have proposed guidelines to limit driver distraction from gadgets built into cars.

The planned voluntary rules would cover "integrated electronic devices, including mobile phones".

Officials want distracting functions to be disabled when driving.

In 2010, US figures suggested that "distraction by a device or control integral to the vehicle was reported in 26,000 crashes".

The new proposals include goals to reduce the amount of inputs required to operate a device - the number of buttons to push - and reducing unnecessary visual information.

There are also guidelines requiring one-handed operation and a two second limit on "off-road glances" - the time spent looking at the device.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also wants built-in gadgets the driver can use to turn-off non-essential functions while the car is moving, and keep them disabled until the car is parked.

In particular they want to prevent manual texting, use of the internet/social media, entering addresses into sat navs and dialling long phone numbers.

Displaying more than 30 characters of text not related to driving should also be prevented, it says.

Electronic warning systems would be exempt from the rules, the NHTSA said.

The first phase of the plans only apply to built-in devices.

However, the NHTSA said that in later phases it might issue further guidelines on the use of "devices or systems that are not built into the vehicle but are brought into the vehicle and used while driving".

This could include "navigation systems, smartphones, electronic tablets and pads, and other mobile communications devices".

Official figures suggested that in 2010 electronic devices were involved in 47,000 distraction-related crashes.

NHTSA administrator David Strickland said consumers wanted more "tools and conveniences" but said the guidelines would help carmakers "develop electronic devices that provide features consumers want - without disrupting a driver's attention or sacrificing safety".

The NHTSA is currently consulting on the first phase of the proposals.

[redneck]

Distracted...???

No...

See... They're concentrating...!!!










It's bad here, real bad...

>

[cfg83]

Piwoslaw -

I'm sorry, can you repeat that? ... I'm sorry, can you repeat that? ... I'm sorry .............

CarloSW2

[UFO]

Seems like an exercise in futility. Before we had idiots texting on their iPads behind the wheel, they were reading maps and books. Sure, disable the built-ins, but how on earth will they keep them from operating portable devices?

[cfg83]

Piwoslaw -

I think the "output" should be suppressed based on what the user is doing. When we talk to a passenger in the car, the passenger is also aware of the outside surroundings and will react to situations (be quiet or go "eeek"!). When the driver brakes hard, the passenger knows what's going on and will stop talking (good). This *doesn't* happen when someone is on the other end of the phone (bad). The interface can also have access to this information, so why not make it go "eeek!" or follow policy X that the user has defined?

Ha ha, they've got radar in cars, why not have all output suppressed when the car detects that the driver's velocity puts them within the "3 second" rule? :

The 3-Second Following Distance Rule | Driver's Ed Guru

How the 3-second rule works
The 3-second rule is a simple way to double-check that you are driving at a safe following distance. Choose a fixed point that is even with the car in front of you. For example, a road sign or a building. If you reach that same fixed point before you can count to three, then you are driving too close to the car in front of you and you need to fall back a bit.

This would force drivers to "make space" around themselves in order to use the gizmos. It could also shut down when the national speed limit is exceeded.

CarloSW2

[cfg83]

UFO -

Originally Posted by UFO

Seems like an exercise in futility. Before we had idiots texting on their iPads behind the wheel, they were reading maps and books. Sure, disable the built-ins, but how on earth will they keep them from operating portable devices?

Ultimately yes, the cat is out of the bag and eating the tuna fish.

CarloSW2

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by redneck

Is she videocalling someone??

Originally Posted by cfg83

Ha ha, they've got radar in cars, why not have all output suppressed when the car detects that the driver's velocity puts them within the "3 second" rule? :
[...]
This would force drivers to "make space" around themselves in order to use the gizmos. It could also shut down when the national speed limit is exceeded.

It's not just about being 3 seconds behind the previous car. What about hitting the car in the next lane, or driving into a tree/pole/ditch? Or even driving slowly through a neighborhood and watching out for children/pedestrians/cyclists?

[cfg83]

Piwoslaw -

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

...

It's not just about being 3 seconds behind the previous car. What about hitting the car in the next lane, or driving into a tree/pole/ditch? Or even driving slowly through a neighborhood and watching out for children/pedestrians/cyclists?

I don't disagree with you, I am just glomming one partial solution onto a problem that is already out of control. I'll bet some will propose robo-cars to solve this problem.

CarloSW2

[Cd]

Locally, they tried to outlaw texting while driving, but found that drivers were even more dangerous because whereas before they had the phone up high where they could see straight ahead, now they tried to hide it down in their lap.

On the way to the airport the other day we were talking about this very thing and glanced over at the driver next to us was talking to his buddy on a large in dash tv .


Hopeless !

[ProDarwin]

I'm all for this stuff. Bluetooth is a must have for me in my car. Don't have to touch the phone. All phone calls are made by voice dialing and I never have to look away from the road or take my hands off the wheel.

I feel like all cars should be like this.

On a similar note, I wish the control layout of all cars was like Japanese sports cars. Both my S2000 and my 300ZX had control layouts where the driver never had to take their hands off the wheel (except for the radio on the Z). On the S2K the radio is even blocked off from the factory, so I never even look at it.