In the past couple of years, the market has attempted to curb distracted driving by introducing voice-controlled applications so the motorist doesn’t have to use their hands to utilize a device. Many thought this was the antidote for a driver who wanted to be safe but still use technology during their driving trip.
Unfortunately, as drivers become frustrated with dashboards, Apple’s Siri or other systems, the more distracted they can become.
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Utah and presented Tuesday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety discovered that these voice-activated apps are still distracting drivers and perhaps even more distracting than handheld or hands-free smartphone use.
The research, which looked into the causes of 3,300 traffic deaths and 420,000 injuries every year, found that apps that are intricate and marred with errors incited anger and distraction amongst motorists. In-vehicle apps can now permit drivers to utter commands, including making phone calls, changing music options, adjusting interior temperatures and sending text messages.
“We already know that drivers can miss stop signs, pedestrians and other cars while using voice technologies because their minds are not fully focused on the road ahead,” Bob Darbelnet, chief executive officer of AAA, said in a statement. “We now understand that current shortcomings in these products, intended as safety features, may unintentionally cause greater levels of cognitive distraction.”
Researchers decided to test out voice activated systems from Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Daimler, Fiat and Hyundai and ranked the stress levels induced by using these systems on a one to five scale (five the worst).
The best tested system was Toyota’s Entune, which scored a 1.7. The worst tested system was Chevy’s MyLink, which scored a 3.7. Researchers also tested out Apple’s Siri and it scored a four.
It is being reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is examining which voice control system is the safest to use.
