The guidelines, which are voluntary, encourage the manufacturers of cars, light trucks, and SUVs to simplify their communication and infotainment systems, so drivers won't need more than a few seconds to use a device. The proposals would not apply to safety features, such as electronic collision warning systems.
The Department of Transportation (DOT), which oversees the NHTSA, has suggested a phased-in approach for compliance.
The Phase I guidelines include these recommendations:
Reduce complexity and task length required by the device;
Limit device operation to one hand only (leaving the other hand to remain on the steering wheel to control the vehicle);
Limit individual off-road glances required for device operation to no more than two seconds in duration;
Limit unnecessary visual information in the driver's field of view;
Limit the amount of manual inputs required for device operation.
The proposal also suggests disabling these operations while the vehicle is in motion:
Visual-manual text messaging;
Visual-manual internet browsing;
Visual-manual social media browsing;
Visual-manual navigation system destination entry by address;
Visual-manual 10-digit phone dialing;
Displaying to the driver more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task.
The DOT does not intend to penalize carmakers that don't implement the guidelines.
And yet I would wager that this will not affect sales of mobile electronics at all, even if mobile electronic devices were declared to be some kind of attractive nuisance that had to be programmed to turn themselves off in a car. (I wonder how that would be done without affecting the ability of passengers to use the devices.)
Maybe this will become moot when mobile electronics take over driving.
I believe that bigger fines is the best way to make them understand. It becomes very hard to identify a person using their phone while driving... but maybe someday technology can help us identify that.
I agree with the guidelines but it seems we are dealing with kids. People must understand the danger of using the phone while driving (texting has to be 10x more dangerous than talking) and I get afraid everytime I look to the car next to me and see the other person looking down... its very probable he isn't paying attention, and in some degree, my life is in danger.
Should we rely on the phones? carmakers? ... We must rely on the people, or have bigger fines, but I don't want to only depend on technology.
As many readers point out, these guidelines have a lot of flaws. In particular, Bolaji's questions about the 2-second rule (how long should I look at my GPS and who is timing me?) is a classic. Legislators frequently come up with guidelines and give no clue how to implement them. There is also the point that these are voluntary, meaning there is nothing that will force carmakers to implement them.
Then there is the bigger picture: Can you legislate common sense? You shouldn't have to--drivers should be the judge of how much distraction they can handle. Unfortuantely, every day there is evidence to indicate a lot of people don't use common sense while driving.
The only way to enforce the 2-second rule is for the data to flash up, stay there 2 second, and then shut off.
Barbara , this is a nice article. These guidelines will definitely improve the workflow and hope that will make an impact similar to the one made by Rumble strips that is a significant reduction in highway accidents. The introdution of haptics based controls will be of great help and importance in realising some of the designs that is within this guideline and framework. Needless to say Safety must be of utmost importance..!
I am not a fan of too much legislation, but the list of guidelines provided seems pretty reasonable. It certainly doesn't make sense to enable drivers with too many distracting devices while at the same time implementing legislation to make using them illegal.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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