New York lawmakers couldn’t agree more. Last week the state Assembly passed the nation’s first statewide law banning the use of handheld mobile phones while driving. The law is likely to provide some momentum to similar bills pending in 38 other states. Such bans may reduce some of the risk posed by multitasking drivers, but mobile phones are only part of a larger problem. With automakers adding more wireless communication technology to cars, drivers may soon be distracted by even more devices.
In recent years automakers have invested billions in the new field of “telematics’’–voice-activated technology that allows drivers to call 911, get directions or check e-mail without lifting a finger from the wheel. The latest version of GM’s OnStar system has three dashboard buttons that connect drivers to emergency services, a concierge or, using voice activated software, to the Internet. Next year Ford will introduce a similar service called WingCast.
But just because drivers’ hands are on the wheel doesn’t mean their minds are on the road. “Hands-free is not a panacea,” says Jeff Greenberg, a safety researcher at Ford. Carmakers insist that, used carefully, onboard wireless devices enhance safety (not to mention profit margins on new cars). But safety experts are skeptical. “With telematics you’re going to see a lot of the same problems we’ve been confronting with cell phones,” says Clarence Ditlow, of the Center for Auto Safety. With 80 percent of mobile-phone calls currently taking place in cars, it’s easy to imagine other wireless conveniences catching on as well. “People are going to bring these new technologies into their cars, and there isn’t anything we can do to stop that,” says Chrysler safety engineer Michael Berude. “But as an automaker we can bring order to this environment.” If only they could design a dashboard device to dispense common sense.
