I lived in the Middle East for more than 15 years. If you ask anyone who lives there to describe road safety and traffic conditions, you will likely receive a wide-eyed and open-mouth facial expression suggesting a “WHOA” response. Roads in the Middle East are built to perfection – smooth, wide, and quite often, empty. This is because you regularly encounter drivers who exceed the speed limit by huge margins in their ultra-fast cars. While you might be thinking this is the perfect venue to test drive rally and race cars, it is actually home to some of the world's most dangerous roads and the highest traffic-related death rates (Arab News, 2009).
Some of you probably use bluetooth headsets, or know others who do while driving. Many of you might think that bluetooth headsets are safe and prevent accidents by ensuring both hands are on the steering wheel. Well, bluetooth headsets and similar tools have been studied extensively and the results are quite eye-opening. Based on a study conducted by Strayer, Drews & Johnston, bluetooth headsets do not actually decrease the chances of car accidents (Strayer, Drews & Johnston, 2003). In their study, they had participants drive and talk on a phone, either with or without headsets. Later, participants were asked to recall information they saw when driving past billboards. Those in the “without headset” and “with headset” condition were able to recall significantly fewer billboards than the control condition (no phone conversation) (Strayer et al., 2003). Furthermore, those in the “with headset” and “without headset” condition had a longer reaction time when required to brake. The results indicated that, although your hand is free when using a bluetooth headset, your attention and reaction time are diminished (Strayer et al., 2003). Humans have a fixed number of cognitive resources. Essentially, whether using a headset or not, you allocate resources to process the conversation and other resources to drive. As a result, your competence in both skills is compromised when trying to multitask (Strayer et al., 2003).
Despite these results, scientists continue to find ways to make our roads safer. A new method to reduce accidents caused by in-car distractions has been developed by AT&T and researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. This piece of technology basically consists of a steering wheel that uses vibrations to communicate information rather than voice cues or directions on a map (Liszewski, 2012). For example, if the driver is supposed to turn left, a counter-clockwise pattern of vibrations will be felt in the wheel. To turn right, a clockwise pattern of vibrations would be felt. The use of vibrations is means to reduce the possible number of distractions that drivers experience (Liszewski, 2012).
This design incorporates the findings of numerous studies and applies it. Essentially, it ensures that the eyes of a driver are always focused on the road, and reduces the burden of having to listen to directions. The system is also capable of sensing when the distance between the car in the front is too little or if a car appear's in the car's blind spot (Liszewski, 2012). The steering wheel is definitely an innovative approach to make roads safer, prevent accidents, and save lives.
I think the steering wheel actually has promise. What are your thoughts about this technology? Do you think this kind of steering wheel will actually have a positive impact on road safety? Or do you think no amount of technology can make our roads safer because the real issue is incompetent drivers?
On a closing note, something my driving instructor used to tell me: “Speed thrills, but kills. Arrive alive.”
REFERENCES
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Liszewski, A. (2012). Vibrating Steering Wheels Could Provide Distraction-Free Directions. Gizmodo: GPS. Retrieved from: http://gizmodo.com/5896098/vibrating-steering-wheels-could-provide-distraction+free-directions
Strayer, David L.; Drews, Frank A.; Johnston, William A. Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Vol 9(1), Mar 2003, 23-32. doi: 10.1037/1076-898X.9.1.23
I think it is definitely impressive how cars have evolved over the years and how car companies have found ways to make driving "easier" for the driver by giving the vehicle more control in a sense (like with cars that park themselves, auto-pilot mode and your example of the vibrations on the wheel to indicate direction).
ReplyDeleteI do think there may be a chance of a positive impact on road safety due to the technology you mentioned but I personally don't think there is a substitute for the human driver at the end of the day because all it takes it for a lag to occur in the vibrations or the incorrect vibrations (for one reason or another) and the driver can put not only themselves but other on the road at risk. Paying attention while driving is key to road safety.
These technologies, like the steering wheel vibrating are developing technologies. I feel these technologies help promote lack of attention on the road by drivers just as a bluetooth headset might. But that is not to say that can't be a solution to road safety. I guess we'll see with time, studies and how cars further develop.
There is no foreseeable substitute for human judgment on the road yet (at least not publicly), and these are all of course supplementary or developing technologies as you put it. They are however, important. Such technologies are continuing this trend where tasks are now being offloaded to a computer to relieve the human of multitasking.
DeleteThe steering wheel technology is interesting indeed. It seems however that they are simple just taking information that would be provided by audio cues and moving it over a physical sensation. This might help the user multitask if they are talking with a headset, but the driver could also easily get this information by paying attention themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf they are not talking on the phone however, I don't see why this would be more useful than other sources of information. I guess more input can never hurt, and it would be interesting to see if psychological conditioning began to arise from the association of certain driving maneuvers and physical vibrations.
I think the main distinction between having audio cues replaced by physical stimulation is that, physical stimulation is more of an automatic process. Focusing your eyes and interpreting information that is displayed on a screen is a more complex process. Furthermore, reducing in-car distractions was the fundamental aspect of this design. Vibrations are meant to keep the driver's eyes focused on the road.
DeleteI think that the steering wheel is definitely a step in the right direction of safe driving; but a lot more is required on the drivers side to offset any dangers. Given that most collisions are preventable, drivers need more education so that they aren't a danger to any one's lives.
ReplyDeletehttp://panesarj.blogspot.com/
You're right. As I've said in earlier comments, there will be no foreseeable substitute for good human judgment. More often than not, drivers are themselves the cause of accidents (i.e. speeding, no seat belt, phone etc.). Such technologies are useful because they are helping ensure that drivers do not get distracted - a step in the right direction as you said.
DeleteA steering wheel with vibrations does alert the driver and is a very interesting concept. Cars are developing very fast, we now have so many facilities like the automated reverse mirror, new cars have blind spot sensors, now the vibration of the wheel and of course a breakthrough is Google's new driver-less cars. It wont be long before cars have a whole new meaning, and driving is no longer as unsafe as it is. Cant say how long this will take to have an effect in the third world countries like India, China and the Middle East. i know for a fact I wouldn't dare to drive a car in India, even if it is driver-less.
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