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 Papers, polls, Q&A items, and comments on this page are oriented to topics and issues associated with Benefits and Safety Risks of in-vehicle technologies. Feel free to post comments on issues outlined below, or in response to papers, polls, and/or questions submitted to our expert panel. Although discussions are meant to emphasize safety impacts associated with in-vehicle technological devices, comments relating to safety risks deriving from non-technological or traditional sources of distraction (e.g., eating, shaving, applying make-up, monitoring kids, etc) are also welcome. A moderator has been assigned to periodically synthesize comments, keep discussions focused and moving, emphasize key points, and offer additional insights into related issues.

DISCUSSION ISSUES/TOPICS

Extent of Problem & Safety Risks

  • To what extent is there a safety problem? Are problems limited to new users who are first learning to use the system, or are they more pervasive and wide spread?
  • How can we maintain benefits without sacrificing safety?
  • What can we expect to see in terms of impacts and how do we assess the appropriate level of safety risks from using in-vehicle technologies?
    • Can we expect crash rates to increase as a result of in-vehicle technologies?
    • How will these technologies affect individual’s ability to drive?
    • Can drivers be trusted to regulate their use of these technologies – limiting their use to situations when it is presumed safe to operate.
    • Will drivers become less cautious as they become routinely exposed to these technologies?
Research Needs
  • What are the important unanswered questions relating to safety & benefits of in-vehicle technology. What research issues should we invest our time and resources studying?

 

Content Available In Each Topic Area

  Paper  
comments
  Comment  

  Ask the Expert  

  Poll  

 

Extent of Problem & Safety Risks
            
  The Impact of Internal Distraction on Driver Visual Behavior   5/17/00 2:30:52 PM

  The Influence of the Use of Mobile Phones on Driver Situation Awareness   5/17/00 2:31:00 PM

  Issues in the Evaluation of Driver Distraction Associated with In-Vehicle Information and Telecommunications Systems   5/18/00 9:44:51 AM

  Individual Differences and In-Vehicle Distraction While Driving: A Test Track Study and Psychometric Evaluation   5/18/00 10:35:38 AM

  A Technical Platform for Driver Inattention Research   5/18/00 1:34:17 PM

  In terms of safety, what type of distraction concerns you more?   

  Have you ever witnessed, or experienced a close call or crash resulting from a driver using a cellular phone or from your personal use with a cell phone?   

  How capable are drivers at making decisions about when it is safe to use technology while driving?   

comments   my own inability   7/6/00 8:21:30 AM

comments   driving while inconversated   7/6/00 8:31:21 AM

comments   honk honk honk! hang up the @#$%$#@ cell phone please!    7/6/00 8:40:13 AM

comments   Driving is dangerous enough.   7/8/00 12:16:49 AM

comments   More distractions?   7/8/00 9:24:29 AM

comments   more comments after reading studies   7/8/00 9:28:20 AM

  Have you ever witnessed, or experienced a close call or crash resulting from a driver being distracted by something other than a cell phone? (e.g. reading a map, eating, personal grooming)   

comments   in-vehicle technology needs to be eliminated   7/13/00 10:17:06 PM

comments   Hang-up and Drive   7/14/00 10:31:02 AM

comments   General comments about distracted drivers   7/14/00 3:33:25 PM

comments   Passenger airbags; forcing children, especially rear-facing infants to the back seat where they are responsible for crash causing driver distractions.   7/14/00 5:48:07 PM

comments   Multitude of distractions   7/15/00 11:26:03 PM

comments   Distraction Perspective   7/17/00 10:42:58 PM
Mike   Gray
Private Citizen

While in-vehicle electronic devices can certainly contribute to the overall accident rate, the rate resulting from the electronic devices pales in comparison to all other distractions combined:

  1. Adjusting controls, i.e. to reduce fogging, operate wipers, change ventilation, etc.
  2. Glare from headlights, billboards, street lights, parking lot lights, sunlight, etc and having to adjust sunvisors.
  3. Inferior road signage.
  4. Road conditions such as potholes, bad roads.
  5. Other vehicles/pedestrians, especially those appearing or acting out of the ordinary.
  6. Precipitation, especially the frozen variety and threatening weather.
  7. Scenery.
  8. In vehicle conversation, especially with kids, misbehaving or not.
  9. Low flying aircraft.
  10. Emergency vehicles, even if in non-emergency mode.
  11. Trees, shrubbery, and other foliage blocking line of sight.
  12. Guard rails, overpass supports, and other structures blocking line of sight.
  13. Driver inattention, non-electronic related.
  14. Inferior road/highway system design.
  15. Stray and wild animals venturing near or onto the roadway.
  16. Rubbernecking.
  17. Another driver motioning (e.g. go-ahead) or signalling.
  18. Other non-electronic.

Add up the accidents from all of the above and the number pales compared to those from electronic related. Statistics can be manipulated to show anything you want. However, an accident is an accident. Unless you compare the rate of a cause (electronic) to all other causes (non-electronic), a case can not be made for responding in some manner to one without responding adequately to the other.

Let's be sure to legislate, make recommendations, make ordnances related to the above, else there be discrimination.

Let's have some figures on the number of vehicles on the road compared to the number of wireless/electronics devices in each. One will find the vast majority of vehicles do not have anything other than an AM/FM radio, some with a cassette player that is never used.

Although headup and night vision displays appear to be a possible answer, aren't they also a distraction and block vision to some extent?

Driving requires the marriage of many people driving and "chewing gum" at the same time and others involved in planning and construction. Let's keep things in perspective and NOT make this issue strictly an electronic issue! Pundits will say, "But electronic devices are the coming thing, on an exponential increase, look at the market projections, and the sales, etc etc". Do not be deceived. It will be a LONG time before accidents from distractions due to electronic devices will get even close to accidents from distractions due to all other causes. Electronic devices with bells and whistles are a hot topic only because they are relatively new. Wireless phones are hot because there are people who do not think that other people should have any conversation in their midst. (Granted there those people who can not carry a good (normal loudness, no profanity, etc) conversation no matter in person or on a phone of any type. - Hey, let's legislate payphone usage!)

Soapbox mode off, flame suit on.


comments   Driving is Given Less Attention Than it Deserves   7/18/00 9:10:49 AM

comments   Now that we know.....   7/18/00 9:15:10 AM

comments   Lonely on the road   7/18/00 5:18:40 PM

comments   cell phones   7/18/00 5:27:39 PM

comments   Distractions   7/18/00 8:09:55 PM

comments   Latest attempt to legislate common sense at the expense of freedom   7/18/00 9:21:39 PM

comments   Children in the back seat   7/18/00 10:27:26 PM

comments   Benefits are minimal; not worth the risks   7/19/00 10:20:19 AM

comments   Comment on "Benefits are minimal..."   7/19/00 5:07:26 PM

comments   Benefits---I am not convinced   7/20/00 10:42:30 AM

comments   There is a solution - it's called the train   7/20/00 12:34:16 PM

comments   The *real* problem   7/21/00 11:52:59 AM

comments   What about other in-vehicle technologies?   7/21/00 5:24:54 PM

comments   The scope of "distractions" needs to be cast much wider   7/21/00 9:35:32 PM

   Trained drivers susceptible to distraction? (See detailed question below)   7/25/00 8:56:18 AM

comments   oh dear its you we should watch for   7/26/00 10:13:43 AM

comments   Driver Training   7/26/00 12:45:19 PM

comments   Engage brain before putting mouth into gear   7/27/00 1:17:58 PM

comments   comment on: Benefits---I am not convinced   8/1/00 9:57:07 AM

comments   RE: oh dear its you we should watch for    8/3/00 7:06:56 AM

comments   Map Readfing while driving   8/3/00 7:25:10 AM

comments   RE: Latest attempt to legislate common sense at the expense of freedom   8/3/00 7:59:16 AM

comments   Referring to: cell phones    8/3/00 8:54:22 AM

comments   RE: Greg Knight's comment   8/3/00 10:14:11 AM

   Technology Related Distraction & Crashes (see detailed question below)   8/3/00 10:28:09 AM

comments   Comment on: RE: Greg Knight's comment   8/3/00 12:35:46 PM

comments   Have you been to Westport, CT?   8/5/00 9:25:19 PM

comments   RE: Lonely on the road    8/7/00 11:30:54 AM

comments   driver awareness   8/8/00 10:04:57 AM

comments   Think about it   8/8/00 2:58:44 PM

comments   911?   8/8/00 3:12:11 PM

comments   Critical Input: Headway to vehicle in front   8/8/00 4:46:30 PM

comments   Riding my bike home from work   8/8/00 10:26:39 PM

comments   Infants in the back seat   8/10/00 11:10:47 AM

comments   RE: 911?   8/10/00 12:08:03 PM

comments   Human element cannot be minimized by technology   8/10/00 9:57:59 PM

comments   One size does not fit all   8/11/00 2:27:09 PM
Research Needs