PROVIDENCE – The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that hands-free technology may increase mental distraction for drivers.
“We already know that drivers can miss stop signs, pedestrians and other cars while using voice technologies because their minds are not fully focused on the road ahead,” Lloyd P. Albert, senior vice president of public and government affairs for AAA Southern New England, said in a statement released Tuesday. “We now understand that current shortcomings in these products, intended as safety features, may unintentionally cause greater levels of cognitive distraction.”
The results, according to AAA, suggest that developers can improve product safety by making them less complicated, more accurate and generally easier to use – a point AAA hopes to use in working with manufacturers to make hands-free technologies as safe as possible.
While manufacturers continue their efforts to develop and refine systems that reduce distractions, AAA encourages drivers to minimize cognitive distraction by limiting the use of most voice-based technologies.
Using instrumented test vehicles, heart-rate monitors and other equipment designed to measure reaction times, a team from the University of Utah evaluated and ranked common voice-activated interactions based on the level of cognitive distraction generated. The team used a five-category rating system, one being the lowest, five the highest. The results show:
- The accuracy of voice recognition software significantly influences the rate of distraction. Systems with low accuracy and reliability generated a high level (category 3) of distraction.
- Composing text messages and emails using in-vehicle technologies (category 3) was more distracting than using these systems to listen to messages (category 2).
- The quality of the systems’ voice had no impact on distraction levels – listening to a natural or synthetic voice both rated as a category 2 level of distraction.
The study also separately assessed Apple’s Siri (version iOS 7). Researchers used the same metrics to measure tasks including using social media, sending texts and updating calendars. The research uncovered that hands- and eyes-free use of Apple’s Siri generated a relatively high category 4 level of mental distraction.
To put all of this year’s findings in context, last year’s research revealed that listening to the radio rated as a category 1 distraction; talking on a hand-held or hands-free cell phone resulted in a category 2 distraction; and using an error-free speech-to-text system to listen to and compose emails or texts was a category 3 distraction.
“Technologies used in the car that rely on voice communications may have unintended consequences that adversely affect road safety,” Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, said in a statement. “The level of distraction and the impact on safety can vary tremendously based on the task or the system the driver is using.”
To assess “real-world” impact, two of the most common voice-based interactions in which drivers engage – changing radio stations and voice dialing – were evaluated with the actual voice-activated systems found in six different automakers’ vehicles.
On the five-point scale, Toyota’s Entune system had the lowest cognitive distraction rating system at 1.7, which is similar to listening to an audio book. In comparison, the Chevrolet MyLink resulted in a high level of cognitive distraction – 3.7. Other systems tested included the Hyundai Blue Link – 2.2, Chrysler Uconnect – 2.7, Ford Sync with MyFord Touch – 3, and the Mercedes Comand – 3.1.
“It is clear that not all voice systems are created equal, and today’s imperfect systems can lead to driver distraction,” Albert added. “AAA is confident that it will be possible to make safer systems in the future.”
AAA is calling for developers to address key contributing factors to mental distraction including complexity, accuracy and time on task with the goal of making systems that are no more demanding than listening to the radio or an audiobook. AAA also plans to use the findings to continue a dialogue with policy makers, safety advocates and manufactures.
The full research report can be viewed HERE.
