Study finds Apple's CarPlay, Google Android less distracting, but still not safe



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Car manufacturers have packed many of their new models with entertaining infotainment features that allow drivers to not only play music and get directions, but also to talk, text and to use social media. that two systems based on popular smartphones – Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto – are simpler and safer to use than integrated electronics.

Despite this, the study, sponsored by the AAA Foundation for Road Safety, smartphone-based systems have been approved by smartphone-based systems, noting that "they can still create potentially dangerous levels of distraction. "

While CarPlay and Android Auto pay less attention to the driver's attention, the AAA Foundation "According to the federal estimates for 2016, the last year for which data is available, Driver distraction was a factor in 3,450 US traffic. The study teamed with the AAA Foundation, a nonprofit research and education organization, with researchers from the University of Utah. This is the last phase of their ongoing investigation into the risk of distraction from mobile devices and integrated vehicle electronics – which use buttons, touch screens and voice commands to access the functions of the mobile phone. ; infotainment. Last fall, the foundation evaluated the risk of distracting infotainment systems in 30 cars and trucks starting in the 2017 model year. Today, the AAA Foundation has released distraction ratings for 10 additional models 2017 and 2018. A Google spokesman declined to comment on this study and Apple has not responded to calls and emails seeking comment.study on CarPlay and Android Auto.

The notes were on a scale that took into account the visual (eyesight), manual and mental requirements of using infotainment functions, as well as the time required to perform tasks such as that obtaining directions, making calls and sending texts. Of all 40 vehicles, none were judged to create a low demand for drivers, which would be similar to the demand for listening to the radio or audiobook .

Eleven vehicles generated moderate demand and 29 high demand – which researchers described as similar to balancing a checkbook while driving. (The rankings of the 40 models are listed here and here.)

A Google spokeswoman declined to comment on the latest study, and Apple has not responded to calls and emails looking for comments. In an email sent to FairWarning, Wade Newton, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the leading industrial group, said that vehicle manufacturers "all agree that the hands on the flying are essential for safe driving. He questioned the research methods of the AAA Foundation, stating that there was "no attempt to tie the research results to the real risk of an accident and that the researchers do not simulate not completely or precisely the way drivers can actually use these systems in the real world. "CarPlay

and Android Auto are software platforms on iPhone and Android smartphones, respectively, that allow drivers to pair their phones. with the vehicle to perform many tasks of integrated systems. For the new study, test drivers performed a set of assigned tasks while driving five 2017 and 2018 model vehicles equipped with cameras along a two-mile stretch of a residential street to about 25 miles per hour. Using the three options – onboard controls, CarPlay and Android Auto – they played music, made calls, sent texts and navigated in programmed mode.

Most tasks were performed more easily and quickly with smartphone-based systems. For example, sending a text was, on average, 5 seconds – or 24% – faster with CarPlay and Android Auto than with embedded systems. The programming navigation was faster by 15 seconds – or 31% – with smartphone systems.
However, this meant that programming navigation took an average of 33 seconds with smartphone-based systems. In 33 seconds, notes the AAA Foundation, a car traveling 25 miles to the hour covers the length of three football fields.

"Google and Apple prove that it is possible to reduce the level of demand for embedded infotainment technology on pilots," said David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation, in a prepared statement . But "improvements are needed before any of the systems can be considered safe while driving."

In the meantime, the group said: "AAA recommends that drivers do not use embedded infotainment technology to perform non-driving tasks when behind the wheel."

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