I came across this image, which lays out some statistics on distracted driving that I thought was really telling and even scary. Most (if not all) people reading this blog have been guilty of taking our eyes and hands off the road to get one more thing out of our smartphones. This image was timely for me because I recently attended the Detroit Telematics Update where driver distraction was front and center next to discussions on the car being the ultimate mobile device. It gets me thinking. Are these topics at odds???
After listening to perspectives from Ford, Hyundai, Toyota and other OEMs, I think that making the car connected can reduce distraction while creating not only a better driving experience, but a better connected reality in and out of the car. These OEMs had plans and vehicles on the road that can reduce/eliminate the "phone in hand" method of communicating while driving, which is the root cause of many of the distractions being discussed on this image. With voice to text options, in car voice commands and selective in car app deployment, I think the OEMs are taking distracted driving seriously. Now we will see if drivers take distractions seriously, put down their phones and buy a connected vehicle.
[Source: Christensen Law Firm]
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I had that experience...I had been looking out the window while involved in a call, and after I hung up I realized that I had not seen a thing that went on in front of me. Scared me out of ever making a call while driving.
I notice no non-mfr participants on the telematics panel. No one from NHTSA or State Farm or University of Michigan who would argue against these devices.