The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety funded a new study that has revealed how distracting new high-tech cars can be for drivers.
According to the study conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, touchscreen systems in vehicles are proving to be very distracting and are thus putting drivers at risk of being involved in serious accidents.
“It’s a staggering increase in the technology and complexity of the vehicle in the last two to three years,” said David Strayer, lead scientist in the study.
The researchers tested a total of 30 vehicle infotainment systems that take an average of 40 seconds to program and found that they all require the driver’s attention while driving.
In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded that a total of 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
“We’ve seen the things that are enabled in the car keep growing and growing,” Strayer said. “Often times it leads the driver who purchases the car to think ‘It must be safe because it’s in the car. Why would they put it in otherwise?'”
From 2014 to 2015, the number of deadly crashes involving distracted driving rose by 8.8 percent.
Touchscreen infotainment systems usually provide drivers with features including music, GPS, phone capabilities and radio.
Within all of the vehicle systems tested, the AAA study concluded that 12 of the systems were “very high” in distraction levels, whereas 11 were considered “high” and seven were deemed “moderate.”
The distracting vehicles study was supplemented with a survey that found that nearly 70 percent of people preferred having newer technology embedded in their cars.
Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety advocacy and research at AAA, said that automakers should improve their systems by preventing people from accessing certain features while a vehicle is in motion.
Multiple research studies have proven that removing eyes from the road for just two seconds can double the risk of being involved in a car accident. The AAA also found that one in three U.S. adults are using infotainment systems while driving.
“Some in-vehicle technology can create unsafe situations for drivers on the road by increasing the time they spend with their eyes and attention off the road and hands off the wheel,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “When an in-vehicle technology is not properly designed, simple tasks for drivers can become complicated and require more effort from drivers to complete.”
The purpose of the study conducted by AAA was to help automakers and system designers improve the functionality of high-tech infotainment systems and decrease the level of distraction caused by them.
“AAA has met with interested auto manufacturers and suppliers to discuss our findings,” AAA Chief Executive Marshall Doney said. “Automakers should aim to reduce distractions by designing systems that are no more visually or mentally demanding than listening to the radio or an audiobook.”