(Toronto) Associations promoting road safety want to draw the attention of authorities and consumers to the risks posed by the ever-increasing complexity of vehicles.
Posted at 2:05 p.m.
More and more highly technological systems are installed in vehicles, but this does not necessarily make them safer.
Tesla is an example. The company has suffered the wrath of its critics by allowing video games to be installed on the console and can be launched while the vehicle is moving.
But even the most normal actions, like changing the music or using the navigation system, can seriously distract the driver.
“This is increasingly a major problem,” said Ian Jack, vice-president of public affairs at the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). It’s getting harder and harder for people to deal with all these things in a vehicle. »
Taken individually, each innovation is a good in itself, but it’s the cumulative burden on the driver’s shoulders that is the problem, says Jack.
The amount of potential distractions these technologies add to driving is the real problem.
Ian Jack, VP Public Affairs at CAA
CAA plans to launch an awareness campaign soon to better educate drivers about the risks of being distracted while driving by entertainment systems.
Distracted driving is becoming one of the growing causes of the number of serious road accidents.
According to data from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, one in four fatal crashes was caused by a distracted driver in 2018.
According to Robyn Robertson, the foundation’s executive director, distraction has joined impaired driving in this regard.
“Distracted driving is even more of a concern, because it’s other people who are at risk. It is other road users who are most at risk of being injured or killed,” she says.
Even more complex entertainment systems can contribute to the problem. Research carried out by the University of Utah in collaboration with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that the systems installed in vehicles are increasingly demanding on the visual and mental capacities of drivers. Some tasks sometimes take up to 48 seconds. Other research indicates that older drivers can be the most distracted by these systems.
Manufacturers are trying to solve this problem, by improving their voice control system, but this brings its own dangers, raises Mme Robertson.
“Drivers often take their eyes off the road to look at technological systems and get upset when they don’t get what they want. »
At the same time, manufacturers are also seeing the changing market and feeling the need to add options like larger screens or more entertainment options, she adds.
“Consumer demand for products that are not necessarily safe in a vehicle is a challenge for them. How can we strike a balance, because all the manufacturers have to agree on that. »
Transport Canada introduced guidelines on distracted driving in 2019, but none are regulatory.
A spokeswoman for the ministry, Sau Sau Liu said the agency “encourages car and electronics manufacturers to design devices compatible with safe driving and to follow all relevant safety advice.”
She adds that Transport Canada intends to update its guidelines as technology evolves.
Automakers like Tesla, GM, Ford did not respond to interview requests from The Canadian Press. Bradley Horn, a spokesman for Stellanis, the global group that owns Chrysler, said the company has taken steps to reduce distracted driving.
However, drivers should learn to familiarize themselves with all of these buttons and systems before hitting the road with their vehicle, says Jack.
“It’s a way of understanding for the consumer that there are more distracting things in a vehicle today than a few years ago. You must also make him understand that these distractions must be reduced as much as possible. »