Distracted driving is beginning to receive serious attention. The communications and 'infotalnment' products spurring the issue are a reminder of how pervasive electronics has become in today's vehicles.
My driver distraction aha! moment came in 1995 during my first trip to Europe. After arriving in Germany on an overnight flight, I bought a few cans of diet cola at the airport convenience store before picking up a rental car and taking what was going to be a rather long drive. Undeterred by the surprising lack of cup holders in the rental, I somehow managed to keep an open can wedged between my legs without spilling, while shifting gears and attempting to keep pace with the autobahn traffic - all the while thinking to myself: This isn't very safe. Of course, I was thoroughly embarrassed when I later mentioned the lack of cup holders to locals and was told that they were omitted for a very good reason - to prevent driver distraction!All this serves as a good reminder of how large a role electronics has in modern vehicles. In this case, it's encouraging to see that government and the automakers are working together to protect motorists behind the wheel. Our industry can do its part by maintaining and repairing these systems so they continue to operate as designed.What Is Urban Agriculture?Information Resources Management (IRM) ConsultantNot all of the discussion is about communications or "infotainment" products, however. In fact, it seems ironic that some systems - such as advanced collision warning and blind-spot detection - designed to improve driver safety are now being looked at as potential distractions themselves! A recent article in Automotive News that discusses this dichotomy quotes John Capp, director of global active safety at GM: "As we put more of these features into vehicles, there's always a risk of information overload or causing a distraction."TuneIn Radio is a free app; visit www.tunein.com from your Windows phone, or download on your computer at the Windows Marketplace�and AppsFuze.com.John lypenFor now, anyway, the federal government seems focused on voluntary guidelines to help curb the problem of distracted driving. They're encouraging automakers and wireless carriers to develop solutions that will keep drivers' eyes on the road. And they're supporting initiatives like Allstates recent antitexting campaign. At the same time, some local governments have implemented programs to enforce bans on texting and using handheld mobile phones while driving, reportedly with good success.
ilypen@motor. com
Author: Lypen, John
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