Distracted Driving: Can Technology Solve Problem It Spawned?

At a distracted driving conference held in Washington, D.C., in October, Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the results of new government research: Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million people were injured.
 
On any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a hand-held phone. At the conference, LaHood challenged the more than 250 safety experts, industry representatives, elected officials and members of the public in attendance to help put an end to distracted driving.

 
Consumer Reports is now weighing in. Its auto experts spend their days testing passenger cars and trucks and the technology with which they are equipped. They have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't, and they are independent of the auto companies who have an interest in selling the technology.
 
One of those experts is David Champion, director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center. While Champion said he doesn't think there is a "silver bullet" solution to the problem of distracted driving, he does think that technology, which has caused the problem, could be one of the solutions.
 
"We've tested quite a few voice-controlled cars, such as Ford's SYNC system and looked at the Volvo XC60 with City Safety, a number of Infiniti models with Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control. I think some of these systems can help," he said.
 
SYNC is Ford's voice-activated, in-car communications and entertainment system for use with mobile phones and digital music players. With SYNC, drivers can operate cell phones or MP3s using simple voice commands or pushing a button on the steering wheel and don't have to take their eyes off the road, he said. SYNC will even read text messages through the vehicle's speakers.
 
Adaptive Cruise Control systems use either radar or lasers to scan ahead and help the driver automatically maintain a preset distance from the vehicle in front by adjusting the speed. It is available in Lexus, BMW, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
 
Lane Departure Warning systems use visual icon displays and audible beeps to alert a driver who starts to drift over a lane or road edge marking. Lane Departure Prevention systems however go one step further, generally using brake pressure to pull the vehicle back into the lane. These come in a number of Infiniti and Volvo models, as well as in the new Toyota Prius, in which it is part of an expensive optional package that includes adaptive cruise control.
 
Volvo's City Safety technology, introduced in the new XC60, brings the vehicle to a halt if traffic stops in front of it, helping the driver to avoid a collision at speeds up to 19 mph. It does this using a laser sensor in the windshield to detect vehicles in front that are either stopped or brake suddenly. If the system determines a collision is likely, it applies the brakes.
 
A few automakers have been studying technology that monitors a driver's face or eyes to make sure they are looking ahead. Lexus has recently introduced its version of the technology, which it calls the Driver Monitor system on its flagship luxury sedan the LS 460 and the LS 600h hybrid. If it seems that the driver is not looking directly ahead and an obstacle is detected in front, it alerts the driver with warning chimes and flashing lights. Some new Mercedes vehicles have a drowsy-driving alert system that Mercedes calls Attention Assist.
 
But there is clearly a cheaper solution, one that involves only human software: Don't use a cellphone or text while driving. It is that simple.

Copyright, Motor Matters, 2009