Drivers may be banned from touchscreens. Free Technical Library News

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Drivers may be banned from touchscreens

29.04.2013

The US authorities are asking automakers to limit the interaction of drivers with in-car infotainment systems equipped with touch screens. Thus, officials intend to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents that occur due to the fact that drivers turn their attention to multimedia and other auxiliary functions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is proposing a ban on manual typing while driving, internet surfing, social media, e-books, and other distractions that are accessed by touch.

"Distracted driving is unsafe and irresponsible. It can lead to disastrous consequences," US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said in a statement. According to him, in 2011 more than 3 people died on US roads, and more than 387 people were injured to varying degrees of severity because the driver was distracted while driving.

U.S. regulators are calling for the creation or upgrade of on-board systems that won't force a driver to take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds. This time, in their opinion, should be enough to select any menu item. In addition, officials are urging automakers to limit the total number of such consecutive taps on the touch screen to six taps. The seventh is proposed to be blocked. Thus, the session of "communication" with the multimedia system will not exceed 12 seconds.

So far, these requirements are voluntary for automakers. However, Lahoud says the NHTSA will consider making the initiative mandatory on all new vehicles. Now, according to the rules already in force, an American driver can read text or use other functions of the standard system only if the car is moving at a speed of no more than 8 km / h. The machine operator is allowed to make 10 touches on the touch monitor within 20 seconds. However, the system does not block further work if the number of manipulations is exceeded.

Concerns do not agree with the ideas of officials. The introduction of new requirements could have a negative effect, according to the American Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which includes companies such as GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota Motor. In particular, participants believe that such measures will simply encourage drivers to use mobile devices that are more dangerous while driving.

Theoretically, voice control of devices could be a solution to such problems, but some analysts do not consider this possible in practice. For example, as researchers from the American University Texas A&M University found out, voice typing of SMS messages while driving is just as dangerous as manual typing. According to experts, the reaction of drivers slows down regardless of the text input method, they are distracted and look at the road less.

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