Infotainment safety concerns (and phone use while driving)

[gsxr]

Great article. This should get some pots stirring. I've been saying for years that using a phone while driving, EVEN HANDS FREE, is at least equal to driving drunk or stoned. Now there's a claim it could be worse!? Yikes. Apply grains of salt as required.

IAM RoadSmart Infotainment Research 2020

IAM RoadSmart research shows that Infotainment systems have a significant adverse effect on drivers' reaction times in new research report.

www.iamroadsmart.com

Key research findings:​

​

1. Controlling the vehicle’s position in the lane and keeping a consistent speed and headway to the vehicle in front suffered significantly when interacting with either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, particularly when using touch control

2. Participants failed to react as often to a stimulus on the road ahead when engaging with either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay – with reaction times being more than 50 per cent slower

3. Reaction time to a stimulus on the road ahead was higher when selecting music through Spotify while using Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

4. The impact on reaction time when using touch control (rather than voice control) was worse than texting while driving

5. Use of either system via touch control caused drivers to take their eyes off the road for longer than NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommended guidelines

6. Participants underestimated by as much as 5 seconds the time they thought they spent looking away from the road when engaging with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via touch control. ​

​

For the full research report click here.​

And, some related levity:

 

[anderzen]

what happens if you combine all of these distractions?... instant explosion I would presume lol. Interesting however, jokes aside...

 

[Jlaa]

…. Can you imagine a world where everything, including your car, is part of the IoT over 5G? Further, can you imagine if your car was able to report if your phone was connected via Android Auto / Carplay ….. and if insurance carriers, some of them who bill by the mile, who are also connected to the cloud, would be able to dynamically set insurance rates based on real time risk factors like this?

/s

 

[szvook]

Not an issue in my car. First, I never use my phone while driving and have never had an emergency where I had to use my phone while in motion. Second, as loud as my car is, talking on a phone is useless even with the windows up. Every time I would have a passenger in the front seat, they would just give up. And only on three occasions, have I had people in the rear who tried in vain to have a conversation.

 

[ace10]

You want risk factors tied to phones?

This girl is trying to save her phone after being violently tossed overboard.

Haulover Inlet (North of Miami) produces some of the most insane wave action and currents I've ever seen in my life

 

[sheward]

Idiots with phones. I had better refrain lest I violate forum etiquette. In my opinion, no one should be talking on the phone while driving. Hands free or not. There are numerous quality studies to back up this premise.

btw, a bit of related info. It takes just under a full second for any attentive driver to realize a need to brake and get a foot onto the brake pedal. The vast majority of drivers pilot their vehicles 2 traveling seconds or less behind others on the roadways. I'll let the readers decide if most folks are attentive drivers.

 

[maw1124]

…. Can you imagine a world where everything, including your car, is part of the IoT over 5G? Further, can you imagine if your car was able to report if your phone was connected via Android Auto / Carplay ….. and if insurance carriers, some of them who bill by the mile, who are also connected to the cloud, would be able to dynamically set insurance rates based on real time risk factors like this?

/s

Yes. It's the world I'm too familiar with and am actively guarding against in my own car life by driving analog vehicles. We're not ready for this. Trouble is, "we" want to be ready so badly "we" think we are ready.

As for the boats v Haulover... I'm gonna blame it on the alcohol.

maw

 

[TerryA]

I agree with everything in gsxr’s article. In the past while working in the LA area I would use my phone in the car quite often. It was a basic tool in the construction trade. At times I was on the road for hours taking care of business while on the move between appointments or meetings.

I quit using a phone in my car a long time ago after missing my frwy off-ramp about a 1/2 dozen times. This was w/ a hand held phone with an earbud.

My KIA has a great hands free blue tooth phone that I don’t use either (anymore sense not working for a living) Now, if it rings while I’m driving I just cancel it from my steering wheel.

The last guy I worked for took out his Porsche Panamera while on the car’s Bluetooth. It was gone for 4 months being repaired. It never stopped him either. He’s on the phone as soon as he steps in the car. No wasted time.

 

[emerydc8]

Somehow, talking on the built-in speaker phone of my old 93 400E wasn't all that distracting. When the phone rang, the radio would mute and all you had to do is press a lighted button above the mirror. I was really disappointed when they discontinued the analog cell service. I don't think it's as much talking--you do that with a passenger anyway--it's pressing buttons on a cell phone while heads-down. Also, our cars are so much easier to operate than the ridiculous electronic features of modern cars. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Gatorblue92]

I have no doubt the infotainment (Sync 3) in my F150 has contributed to distracted driving. I really only use the CarPlay feature for Waze and music streaming but it can be distracting especially when it doesn't work as designed. The system in my wife's Subaru is marginally better but definitely can be a distraction.

 

[gerryvz]

I can't believe you folks even still use cell phones for voice calls. Who makes phone calls anymore?

I am lucky to talk on my phone in a voice conversation once or twice a week. And only then if it's a dentist's office or a delivery service wanting to schedule a delivery, or something like that.

Other than that, it's pretty much spam calls. If I get an incoming call from a number that I don't know (isn't programmed into my directory) or a local number (dentist's office, etc.) - I simply don't answer it. I figure if the person wants to reach me bad enough, they'll leave a voice mail. 95% of the time they don't, so it's either a frivolous or spam call.

Otherwise, pretty much all my communication these days is via Zoom/Teams/WebEx (voice only or video). And all that doesn't really work well in a car, and I RARELY do these calls on a phone (perhaps when I'm walking my dog or something).

I NEVER take any kind of phone call or text while driving.

I would say that 98% of my phone usage is for text/news/apps and 2% for actual voice communication.

 

[kwontumspeed]

Idiots with phones. I had better refrain lest I violate forum etiquette. In my opinion, no one should be talking on the phone while driving. Hands free or not. There are numerous quality studies to back up this premise.

btw, a bit of related info. It takes just under a full second for any attentive driver to realize a need to brake and get a foot onto the brake pedal. The vast majority of drivers pilot their vehicles 2 traveling seconds or less behind others on the roadways. I'll let the readers decide if most folks are attentive drivers.

Drew, and as you know they’re proposing allowing drivers in GA to touch their phones at stops, which will likely pass by this year. Can’t think of a better way to tell drivers: it’s ok, just don’t get caught

 

[JC220]

Otherwise, pretty much all my communication these days is via Zoom/Teams/WebEx (voice only or video). And all that doesn't really work well in a car, and I RARELY do these calls on a phone (perhaps when I'm walking my dog or something).

 

[gerryvz]

I have yet to really see anyone doing a zoom call in a car, with video, unless they were either a passenger, or pulled over. I think at least in my company, if someone was obviously driving and doing a video call, they would be told to drop and listen to the recording, or just drop the call.

I have done conference calls (voice only) whilst sitting in the passenger seat with my wife driving.

 

[maw1124]

…. Can you imagine a world where everything, including your car, is part of the IoT over 5G? Further, can you imagine if your car was able to report if your phone was connected via Android Auto / Carplay ….. and if insurance carriers, some of them who bill by the mile, who are also connected to the cloud, would be able to dynamically set insurance rates based on real time risk factors like this?

/s

As if on queue... Why Tesla and GM want to be big in a new kind of car insurance business

My cars talking to my insurance companies for rating decisions is a bad idea for me. It would put me out of the business of driving altogether. Just take an uber at that point because, what's the point?

Imagine: "You hit redline [X] times last month, therefore your new premium is [Y]..."

maw

 

[TerryA]

As if on queue... Why Tesla and GM want to be big in a new kind of car insurance business

My cars talking to my insurance companies for rating decisions is a bad idea for me. It would put me out of the business of driving altogether. Just take an uber at that point because, what's the point?

Imagine: "You hit redline [X] times last month, therefore your new premium is [Y]..."

maw

That Tesla & GM have cars that report back your driving habits is cause for alarm. They want to take all of the fun out of the driving experience. Why would anyone want to buy a car that’s going to rat on you?

This should bring out new companies that will be manufacturing devices to defeat these systems.

 

[emerydc8]

Their ultimate goal is to eventually completely prohibit car ownership. These car companies want to rent you a ride when you need to go somewhere. Bad social credit score? Criticize the government, or even contribute to a peaceful demonstration? Sorry, no ride for you. The EVs and self-driving vehicles are just a transition to completely get you out of car ownership. "You will own nothing and you will like it." It's puzzling how people are so receptive to this technology.

 

[Jlaa]

From an investor’s perspective, seeing automakers get into the insurance business would make those automakers seem like even less attractive businesses than they already are. Automaking is a capital intensive business and its operations consume vast quantities of cash. Strikes, supply chain issues, R&D, etc.

On the other hand, the insurance business requires huge financial cushion and a guarantee that the biz can survive nearly ANY loss. GEICO via BRK holds what - something north of 140 BILLIONS DOLLARS in Float !!!!! This is cash that is not deployed for biz operations… would automakers really have the discipline to do this?

 

[emerydc8]

But you're looking at it from a rational business perspective. These large companies no longer have to worry about profits when they are merged with a government that is also owned by a small group of central bankers who have won the right to print virtually ever country's money without any apparent limit. The airlines have been nationalized for two years now. They don't need to make rational business decisions anymore. They can't. They just do what they're told and they are bankrolled. This is what Henry Ford warned about in 1920. It just took a little longer for it to happen here.

 

[Jlaa]

Their ultimate goal is to eventually completely prohibit car ownership. These car companies want to rent you a ride when you need to go somewhere. …. The EVs and self-driving vehicles are just a transition to completely get you out of car ownership. "You will own nothing and you will like it." It's puzzling how people are so receptive to this technology.

I see this as a transition to EaaS - everything as a service / subscription. Cars, groceries, clothes (stichfix), pet food …. Everything is a service / subscription.

For the business, this smooths out revenue and decreases marketing / customer acquisition costs. For consumers this allows them to enjoy an expensive product (like a car) without having the cash to buy it outright because they are essentially leasing the vehicle with a duration of infinity. Enjoy life above one’s means! Makes sense when interest rates are zero. But in a period of increasing inflation, consumers will be shocked because their monthly vehicle costs will no longer be fixed every month.

But you're looking at it from a rational business perspective. These large companies no longer have to worry about profits when they are merged with a government that is also owned by a small group of central bankers who have won the right to print virtually ever country's money without any apparent limit. The airlines have been nationalized for two years now. They don't need to make rational business decisions anymore. They can't. They just do what they're told and they are bankrolled. This is what Henry Ford warned about in 1920. It just took a little longer for it to happen here.

Yes, I am looking at it from an investor’s POV. However I am missing / not understanding the discussion where companies merge with govt. Was H Ford cautioning against big brother or something?

That said, I am not familiar at all with the airline business other than the fact that investing in airlines is a good way to make a fortune if you start with an even bigger fortune. . Airlines seem like a way to vaporize money.

 

[emerydc8]

Not to get too far off track--and if the moderators want to delete this, I understand--but Ford warned of the dangers of collectivism coming to this country. If you're not familiar, you may want to check out Klaus Schwab, founder and director of the World Economic Forum. You see a renter society as a good thing, allowing people to enjoy more expensive things without the burden of property ownership. I see it as a sinister way to ensure that we will eventually own nothing (certainly not a polluter 500E), which is an idea that is antithetical to capitalism. Of course, they're hoping that our people can't figure out that someone has to own the property, but after Schwab's Great Reset, I doubt we will be part of that elite group, where Bolshevism is embraced and made to look like a utopia--for him and his cronies anyway.

 

[Jlaa]

Not to get too far off track--and if the moderators want to delete this, I understand--but Ford warned of the dangers of collectivism coming to this country. If you're not familiar, you may want to check out Klaus Schwab, founder and director of the World Economic Forum. You see a renter society as a good thing, allowing people to enjoy more expensive things without the burden of property ownership. I see it as a sinister way to ensure that we will eventually own nothing (certainly not a polluter 500E), which is an idea that is antithetical to capitalism. Of course, they're hoping that our people can't figure out that someone has to own the property, but after Schwab's Great Reset, I doubt we will be part of that elite group, where Bolshevism is embraced and made to look like a utopia--for him and his cronies anyway.

Ah thanks! I think my sarcasm is not coming through …. I 200% agree with you. EaaS is a BAD thing - SOMEONE has to own property! The reason why EaaS has been popular is because we have had nearly 0% interest for a decade due to excess liquidity.

You may be misconstruing my thoughts ….l have been railing against this here for years! (Search for EaaS….].

 

[emerydc8]

Sorry I missed your posts on EaaS. I agree with you -- When the rates go up, the EaaS model is dead! I remember back in the early 80's when the interest rate hit 20%. A repeat may be coming soon. This time it will crash the economy, so central bank surrogates BlackRock and Vanguard will end up owning even more -- those two companies already control the entire stock market. Who Runs the World? Blackrock and Vanguard - LewRockwell