Photo: Microsoft
Driver distractions remain a big problem of the automotive industry. While companies are investing in more advanced systems to reduce the physical interaction with devices inside a car and provide hands-free alternatives, the National Transportation Safety Board says all electronics should be banned when getting behind the wheel.
In its 2021-2022 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements, the NTSB also explains that, while phones and tablets shouldn’t be allowed in a car, not even with hands-free modes, new-generation technologies are pretty much the only option to fight distracted driving anyway.
The NTSB points to collision warning and connected vehicle systems as the living proof in this regard, as the vehicles can exchange data, and drivers could be warned in advance in an attempt to reduce distractions and avoid crashes that could become fatal.
But the NTSB also warns that the industry is very slow when it comes to adopting these systems.
“Yet, most passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles (such as heavy-duty trucks and school buses) on the road today are not equipped—nor required to be equipped—with such life-saving technologies. And consumers are often unaware of the availability and capabilities of these technologies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not developed comprehensive performance standards for these technologies, nor does it effectively evaluate them and include this information in its vehicle safety ratings,” it says.
Furthermore, the NTSB criticizes a recent FCC decision to reduce the communication spectrum of connected cars, warning that “if this decision is not reversed, safety progress could be hindered.”
On the other hand, the expansion of tech companies in the automotive world could generate a major boost in adopting new systems.
Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, and others are currently working on EVs supposed to launch later this decade. People close to the matter claim all these models would rely on new-generation technology that would play the role of a game-changer for the car business, especially in the long term.
The NTSB points to collision warning and connected vehicle systems as the living proof in this regard, as the vehicles can exchange data, and drivers could be warned in advance in an attempt to reduce distractions and avoid crashes that could become fatal.
But the NTSB also warns that the industry is very slow when it comes to adopting these systems.
“Yet, most passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles (such as heavy-duty trucks and school buses) on the road today are not equipped—nor required to be equipped—with such life-saving technologies. And consumers are often unaware of the availability and capabilities of these technologies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not developed comprehensive performance standards for these technologies, nor does it effectively evaluate them and include this information in its vehicle safety ratings,” it says.
Furthermore, the NTSB criticizes a recent FCC decision to reduce the communication spectrum of connected cars, warning that “if this decision is not reversed, safety progress could be hindered.”
On the other hand, the expansion of tech companies in the automotive world could generate a major boost in adopting new systems.
Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei, and others are currently working on EVs supposed to launch later this decade. People close to the matter claim all these models would rely on new-generation technology that would play the role of a game-changer for the car business, especially in the long term.
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