Mass Adoption of In-Car Bluetooth by 2016

There are two elements conspiring to get the Bluetooth technology in about percent of all the vehicles in the US by 2016. Firstly, there's the increasing demand for the technology as it is needed to make other systems work with the car. Secondly, there is the need to prevent people from using their phone while driving and go for Bluetooth devices instead.

According to the Driver Distraction: Relevant Research and Implications for Public Policy report presented by Strategy Analytics, most of the vehicles on US roads will be Bluetooth-enabled by 2016, while automotive Bluetooth connectivity units will increase from 8,450,000 units in 2010 to 25,799,000 units in 2017.

The research, compiling data from different sources, has also found that currently 1 million U.S. drivers are talking on the phone while driving, while 66 percent of drivers using hands-free devices said they felt safer using them.

“Bluetooth technology ensures drivers are provided with a smarter option for communicating in the car without having to take their eyes off the road,” said Bluetooth SIG director Mike Foley.

“Bluetooth short-range wireless connectivity is the perfect solution for syncing cell phones, music players and GPS devices, helping drivers comply with hands-free legislation and texting laws.”

According to the Distracted Driving Report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for 2009, a total of 5,474 lives were lost in 2009 due to distracted driving.

In 2009, the number of people dead due to distracted driving accounted for 16 percent of overall traffic fatalities in 2009, the same as in 2008.