PROVIDENCE – Member auto-service organization AAA Northeast says Apple CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto are less distracting to drivers than infotainment systems that come already installed in cars, AAA announced in a press release.
This finding is according to research from the AAA Center for Driving Safety and Technology, which investigates how drivers interact with vehicle technology.
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“Google and Apple are proving that it is possible to reduce the level of demand in-vehicle infotainment technology places on drivers,” said David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
According to the press release, AAA studies showed that drivers who use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were distracted 5-15 seconds less when compared with a vehicle’s native system. Distraction levels were lessened in making a call (5 seconds) and programming navigation (15 seconds).
Among the systems with the highest distraction rates, those in the 2018 BMW 430i xDrive convertible and the 2017 Buick Enclave Leather.
Both CarPlay’s and Android Auto’s software use cloud-based voice technology that adapts to a user’s voice over time and can speed up response times. That being said, any technology can potentially cause unsafe distraction and pose a risk.
AAA says drivers who take their eyes off the road for more than 2 seconds double their risk of getting into a crash.
“While improvements are necessary before any of the systems can be considered safe to use while driving, this research shows that smartphone-based software has the potential to offer a simpler, more familiar design that is less confusing to drivers, and therefore less demanding,” said Yang.
AAA’s Center for Driving Safety and Technology was created in 2013.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
