AAA Foundation: Infotainment Systems distract and endanger drivers

Vehicle infotainment systems take drivers eyes off the road and hands off the wheel for potentially dangerous periods of time, according to the latest research from the American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic Safety (AFTF). The AFTF commissioned researchers from the University of Utah to examine visual (eyes off road) and cognitive (mental) demands and the time taken to complete infotainment systems tasks on 120 drivers aged 12 -36 on 30 new 2017 model-year vehicles.
October 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Vehicle infotainment systems take drivers eyes off the road and hands off the wheel for potentially dangerous periods of time, according to the latest research from the 1765 American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic Safety (AFTF).

The AFTF commissioned researchers from the University of Utah to examine visual (eyes off road) and cognitive (mental) demands and the time taken to complete infotainment systems tasks on 120 drivers aged 12 -36 on 30 new 2017 model-year vehicles. The participants used voice command, touch screen and other technologies to make a call, send a text message, tune the radio or program navigation on down the road. 

The research found that drivers using voice-based and touch screen features were visually and mentally distracted for more than 40 seconds and that a driver travelling at 40km/h (25mph) can travel the length of four football pitches in the time it can take to enter a destination in navigation.

None of the 30 vehicles infotainment systems produced low demand on drivers; while 12 systems generated very high demand, 11 generated high demand and 7 systems provided a moderate level demand. The researchers equate very high demand as the equivalent of a driver trying to balance a cheque book while driving and low-level demand to listening to the radio or an audiobook.

Researchers found infotainment systems could be made safer by following federal recommendations such as locking out text messaging, social media and programming navigation while the car is in motion.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Vehicle manufacturers and local authorities seek satnav solutions
    December 5, 2013
    The increasing capability of satellite navigation is helping vehicle manufacturers and local authorities as well as individual drivers and fleets. In comparison to the physical ITS infrastructure in towns and cities and on motorways and highways, satellite navigation (satnav) systems have come a long way in a short time. Many (if not the majority) individual drivers and fleets use or have access to a satnav and now the vehicle manufacturers and even local authorities are beginning to utilise satnav derived
    Read More
  • Study finds rumble strips save lives on rural highways
    June 2, 2015
    A recently completed study shows that rumble strips are proving to be an effective and low-cost way to reduce crashes on Michigan's state highways. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) started a major rumble strip program for two-lane high-speed rural highways in 2008. Centre-line and shoulder rumble strips were installed on all MDOT rural, non-freeway highways with posted speed limits of 55 mph and appropriate paved lane and shoulder widths. To date, 5,700 miles of centre-line rumble strips
    Read More
  • Sprawl spreads the costs and confines the benefits
    June 8, 2015
    A new report says car-centric planning leads to inefficient cities and divided communities as lead author Todd Litman explains. Between 1950 and 2050 the human population will have approximately quadrupled and shifted from 80% rural to nearly 80% urban; by the middle of this century the United Nations predicts an additional 2.2 billion urban residents in developing countries than there are today. How these cities grow has huge economic, social and environmental impacts and implementing proper policies can c
    Read More
  • Sprawl spreads the costs and confines the benefits
    June 8, 2015
    A new report says car-centric planning leads to inefficient cities and divided communities as lead author Todd Litman explains. Between 1950 and 2050 the human population will have approximately quadrupled and shifted from 80% rural to nearly 80% urban; by the middle of this century the United Nations predicts an additional 2.2 billion urban residents in developing countries than there are today. How these cities grow has huge economic, social and environmental impacts and implementing proper policies can c
    Read More

Highlighted Content