Author: Ralph Morton
For all you business car drivers, the use of technology to keep you in touch with business – or provide you with information on your destination – is critical in any company car choice.
But these very pieces of technology are potentially a very dangerous distraction reports the consumer magazine Which?. It said that the use of touchscreens, integrated phones and satnavs and other in-car technology can cause driver distractions while driving.
The Which? report comes after it tested eight cars from the UK’s best-seller list and discovered that many features were difficult to use while driving – with potentially dangerous consequences.
Which? said in-car technology wasn’t universally difficult to use – some car makers it reported did very well in their tests – but it warned that other car makers needed to emulate their example to ensure their systems posed as little distraction as possible to motorists.
Which? Car editor, Richard Headland, says:
“We found that the sheer number of ways to carry out simple tasks in the cars was baffling, and crying out to be simplified.
“We know people want systems in their car that integrate audio, phone, satnav and other functions, but it’s time for the Government to step in and provide some strong guidance to focus carmakers on creating less distracting systems.”
Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, commented: “We welcome this report which highlights the need for more consistent design standards for in car systems.
“Manufacturers must work together and be prepared to sacrifice that unique selling point or competitive advantage in new technology to help reduce confusion.
“Drivers changing or hiring cars also need to take time and advice to fully understand how to use their new car safely. Crash protection in cars has never been better, we must all work together to make sure in car systems don’t under mine these gains.”
Which? said it had created an ‘in-car technology charter’. Its 10-point checklist included items such as drivers shouldn’t need to look away from the road for more than two seconds at a time to operate a single device and that car makers needed to develop better voice-recognition systems.
