Subject: [NEXTEL-1] New Technology Could Mean More Distractions

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 17:46:31 -0500

New Technology Could Mean More Distractions
Mon Feb 10, 7:09 PM ET

New cars are increasingly offering high-tech options, from Internet hookups
to DVD players to navigation devices. But some are concerned that more
distractions could mean more accidents.

NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that cell
phone use in cars has often been cited as a
potential cause of accidents. Officials from the
National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration said that bringing more technology
inside vehicles could cause more distractions.

"The basic concern is that we already have a
substantial distracted driving problem in the
U.S.," said Jim Ryan, of NHTSA. "About 25
percent of the crashes in this country involve
some aspect of distracted rivers. That translates
to about 4,300 crashes a day, 1.5 million crashes
a year."

BMW said its top-of-the-line 745 I Drive was designed for safety and
comfort. The heart of the car is a multipurpose controller where the gearshift
usually sits. Drivers can swivel, rotate and tap to access 700 features,
allowing them to navigate routes, choose radio stations, control the climate
and find the nearest gas station.

"The idea is to program all this stuff before you drive, then just go," said
Marc Huaman, of BMW.

Safety advocates say drivers are already doing too much multitasking. Five
years ago, Newton, Mass.-based Design Continuum was hired by BMW to
examine what people do while driving.

"Very respectable people engage in behavior that seems to us to be
somewhat dangerous," said Harry West, of Design Continuum. "They are
taking their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel."

The I Drive controller was designed with that in mind, to keep drivers' eyes
on the road by using haptic, or touch technology, Huaman said. But it
requires a good deal of training and could take some getting used to.

"We are working with the industry to address concerns about the GPS
systems and how they can be integrated safely into vehicle operations,"
Ryan said.

As for DVD players, they're not just for the kids in the back seat. Dashboard
DVD players are big sellers, and some cars even have screens in the
front-seat visors.

Massachusetts is one of 37 states that prohibit DVD use in areas where the
drivers can see them. At Quincy's Audio Designs, installers enable a
locking mechanism in any monitor the driver can see that keeps it from
working while the car is moving.

But some shops aren't compliant, and drivers interviewed said locks can be
disabled. Watching movies while driving proved deadly in a car crash in Ohio
in November, when a 1-year-old girl was killed. Police said the driver was
watching "Lara Croft: Tombraider" on one of the five video screens in his car
when he ran a red light.

"The danger is when people try to use systems in the car to do things that
really are beyond what you should be doing in the car," Ryan said.

The new technology in vehicles includes new safety features, such as
distance controls that keep the car from hitting another vehicle when
parking.

Industry watchers say that by 2006, 80 percent of cars will come equipped
with navigation systems and an array of wireless technology.

 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20030211/lo_WCVB/1489440
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