English Synthesis Essay

Hands-Free Technology Can Keep Drivers Safe

Author: Consumer Electronics Association Editor: Roman Espejo Date: Jan. 1, 2015 From: Cell Phones and Driving Publisher: Gale, a Cengage Company Series: At Issue Document Type: Viewpoint essay Length: 1,271 words Content Level: (Level 4) Lexile Measure: 1130L

Full Text:

Article Commentary Consumer Electronics Association, "Bluetooth in the Car and Driver Safety," It is Innovation (i3), www.CE.org/i3, Accessed January 11, 2014. Copyright © 2014 by Consumer Electronics Association. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is a trade organization representing the consumer electronics industry.

As a form of hands-free technology, Bluetooth can reduce driver distraction by wirelessly connecting cell phones to nearby devices in vehicles. Bluetooth headsets and attachable speakerphones allow drivers to receive and make calls hands-free with ease of operation. Installed car kits and in-dash technology integrate Bluetooth into the vehicle itself, which has several advantages, such as muting the stereo during calls and providing caller ID in ways that keep the driver's eyes on the road. However, common sense and caution must be used with hands-free technology, and the consumer electronics industry endorses legislation that prioritizes driver safety and supports future innovations. You've likely heard of Bluetooth, the wireless technology that allows cell phones, for example, to connect to other devices in close proximity. When used with headsets or hands-free car kits, this technology offers drivers a convenient and potentially safer way to manage cell conversations while driving. And not only is it more convenient, in some states and localities it may be your only option for talking while driving.

So how can you enjoy Bluetooth hands-free calling in your car? Here's a look at some options:

Headsets

Bluetooth headsets are a simple way to talk hands-free in your car. Generally, headsets offer excellent call quality and simple operation. Since they're physically attached to you, headsets go wherever you do and may be a good solution if you make multiple stops or are constantly in and out of your car. This gives them a unique advantage over other in-car hands-free solutions. Perhaps their biggest downside is that they are battery operated, and thus require you to remember to keep one more device charged.

Speakerphones

Like their name suggests, Bluetooth speakerphones employ built-in speakers and microphones to let you take your cell calls hands free. Relatively small, they usually attach to your car's sun visor like a garage door opener. Power is less of a concern, as most contain built-in rechargeable batteries and can also plug directly into your 12V lighter outlet for powering or charging. Most models feature only a few buttons, which keeps operating them simple. Some offer small screens for displaying caller ID and call status. Models with built-in FM transmitters give you the additional options of hearing your calls through your car stereo over an FM frequency.

Remember, there's no device that can substitute for common sense to keep you safe on the road.

Car Kits

Car kits are usually installed (hard-wired) into your vehicle, which offers several advantages. For starters, installed car kits offer an integrated look with no dangling power cords, speakers or microphones. Second, they are typically connected to the vehicle's power, which means you never have to worry about remembering to charge them. They're always—pardon the pun—on call. Another benefit, many car kits can be installed to mute your car's sound system when your phone rings or you initiate a call. Depending on how many incoming calls you get, this can be a huge convenience. Some models also speak caller ID, which lets you keep your eyes on the road while trying to figure out who's calling. Finally, more and more models can wirelessly stream your music from your Stereo Bluetooth-equipped portable music player to your car's audio system.

Portable Navigation Devices

There's good news if you're also in the market for a GPS [Global Positioning System] navigation device. Many portable navigation devices (PNDs) offer built-in Bluetooth hands-free connections for your cell phone. Like installed car kits, PNDs with built-in Bluetooth use either their built-in speakers or an FM transmitter to play your calls through your car stereo. This convergence translates into added convenience for you, as spoken navigation commands are muted while the phone is in use. Some models also support Stereo Bluetooth music streaming, letting you stream music wirelessly to your car stereo.

In-dash

The final and most integrated option for adding hands-free to your car is a Bluetooth-enabled in-dash stereo. Bluetooth-equipped car stereo "headunits" totally integrate your voice and music streaming from your phone to your car's speakers. Like car kits and PNDs, most units will mute or pause the music when you place or take a call. In-dash models' larger displays or video screens make it easier for you to see the phone number and call status. Custom installation means that in many cases you will be able to use your car's factory steering wheel buttons to operate your phone and audio system as well.

Whether you frequently take calls in the car, or if your state or locality mandates hands-free talking while driving, you'll definitely want to shop for a Bluetooth hands-free device for your car. Make sure your phone is Bluetooth-enabled in order to be able to make and receive calls using a hands-free device. Also keep in mind that if you wish to stream music from your phone or portable music player, both the phone/player and the Bluetooth hands-free device must support the Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) standard or "profile." Remember, there's no device that can substitute for common sense to keep you safe on the road. Please use cell phones and handsfree devices with caution....

Policy Approaches and Considerations

The consumer electronics industry is completely committed to the principle that safety is paramount and a driver's highest priority must be safe control of the vehicle at all times. CEA [Consumer Electronics Association] has supported state legislation imposing limits on the use of in-vehicle electronics to ensure driver safety. CEA also supports ongoing consumer awareness and education and has compiled a list of state laws for electronics use in cars.

Policy approaches should recognize that in-vehicle electronics can enhance driver safety by improving situational awareness and focus.

Policy approaches to driver distraction must be driven by well-grounded science. Recent "real world" data is now allowing us to understand the true impact of all distractions, including in-vehicle electronics, on driver performance. "Naturalistic" studies conducted under actual driving conditions should be given greater consideration than studies used with simulators.

Policy considerations must take into account both the current state of technology and the likelihood of future innovations. Policies should be carefully calibrated so as not to inadvertently prohibit new technologies that could benefit drivers. For example, regulations should not prohibit voice-operated texting where the real concern is manual entry and operation of handheld devices.

Policy approaches should recognize that in-vehicle electronics can enhance driver safety by improving situational awareness and focus. A driver using a GPS navigation system is safer than a lost or disoriented driver. Likewise, in-vehicle entertainment systems keep children occupied who may otherwise demand the attention of the driver.

Policy approaches should focus on driver behavior and activities rather than specific technologies or products. Scientific research has demonstrated driver distraction can arise from a wide variety of sources—conversations with passengers, eating, consuming beverages, smoking, tending to children, and other such activities. However, unlike these longstanding distractions, mobile electronics can also provide clear benefits to drivers and passengers.

Recent naturalistic driving studies have confirmed that manual texting while driving significantly increases the risk of a crash. CEA supports a ban on the use of handheld devices for manual texting while driving.

Research has also shown that younger drivers typically do not have the skill set to perform secondary tasks while driving safely. Accordingly, CEA supports initiatives that restrict mobile phone use for novice drivers or drivers operating under a graduated drivers' license (GDL).

Citation for article 1:

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2015 Greenhaven Press, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition) Consumer Electronics Association. "Hands-Free Technology Can Keep Drivers Safe." Cell Phones and Driving, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010743228/OVIC?u=txshracd2500&sid=OVIC&xid=8db6e3db. Accessed 6 Nov. 2019. Originally published as "Bluetooth in the Car and Driver Safety,", 11 Jan. 2014. Gale Document Number: GALE|EJ3010743228

Article 2

Hands-Free Technology Does Not Keep Drivers Safe

Author: Robert Rosenberger Editor: Roman Espejo Date: Jan. 1, 2015 From: Cell Phones and Driving Publisher: Gale, a Cengage Company Series: At Issue Document Type: Viewpoint essay Length: 2,295 words Content Level: (Level 4) Lexile Measure: 1190L

Full Text:

Article Commentary Robert Rosenberger, "The Problem with Hands-Free Dashboard Cellphones," Communications of the ACM, August 8, 2013. Copyright © 2013 by Robert Rosenberger. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission.

Robert Rosenberger is an assistant professor in the Philosophy, Science and Technology Program at Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Public Policy.

Encouraging hands-free texting and calling while driving to enhance road safety must be challenged. Numerous studies demonstrate that both handheld and hands-free phone usage compromise driver performance in hazardous ways. One view is that the brain does not have the capacity to simultaneously engage in two cognitively demanding tasks. Another view is that the habits of driving—which require automatic responses—may be overcome by the much different habits of talking on a phone. Whichever view is preferred, driver distraction is caused by phone conversations, not only the visual or manual distractions of a device. Nonetheless, there is a gap between policies and the dangers of hands-free technology, and automakers are in an "arms race" to integrate dashboards with such communications and Internet technologies. A 16-second television advertisement for the Hyundai Veloster features the car pulling into the screen, stopping, and sitting motionless in the middle of the road, the driver apparently talking to himself. Two police officers approach, each on a motorcycle, and they stop on either side of the vehicle. After a moment, the two officers pull away without incident and an announcer explains, "There's lots of reasons to love Veloster's voice text messaging. Here's two." The point of the short television ad is to promote the hands-free text messaging system built into the Veloster's dashboard, a novel feature available in many new car models.

The claim implicit in these developments—and made almost directly in the Hyundai Veloster commercial—is: Even though texting with a handheld phone is understood to be so dangerous that it is increasingly outlawed across the globe, hands-free texting while driving is conversely so safe that it should be actively encouraged. In this viewpoint, I challenge this line of thinking.

The problem with the assumption that hands-free phones should not be distracting to drivers is that a multitude of studies have demonstrated otherwise. A serious problem is now emerging as the automotive industry increasingly builds hands-free calling, texting, and even Facebooking into the dashboards of new cars.

The Science and Policy Context

Multiple countries across the globe have enacted laws against talking and texting on a handheld phone while behind the wheel (see http://www.cellular-news.com/car_bans). In the U.S., 39 states outlaw texting on a handheld phone while driving, and 10 states maintain laws against driving while talking on a handheld phone (http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/state-laws.html). But only a very small minority of countries bans hands-free texting or hands-free phone conversation, and no states in the U.S. ban hands-free phone use for all drivers. The implied understanding in such laws—insofar as only handheld and not hands-free devices are banned—is that it must be the visual and manual interface with the device that causes the driver distraction. However, the preponderance of scientific evidence reveals both handheld and hands-free phone usage to be associated with the same precipitous drop in driving performance. These findings point to a different understanding of cellphone-related driving impairment than what is implied by the existing traffic laws: it is the conversation that is the source of the distraction. That is, to explain why the large preponderance of evidence shows both handheld and hands-free phones to impair drivers to the same degree, the answer must lie in

the mental distraction that comes with talking and listening to someone on the phone.

When only handheld—and not hands-free—devices are subject to regulation, a message is inadvertently sent that handsfree phone usage while driving is safe.

Just how dangerous is talking on the phone while driving? Research on phone records and accident data indicates a fourfold increase in crash risk for drivers using a handheld or hands-free phone. Cellphone-induced driving impairment has even been compared to drunk driving. And it is not the case that simply any conversation causes this distraction; evidence is emerging that passenger conversations do not result in the same driving impairment as phone usage. This is because passengers appear to be more aware of driving conditions than are interlocutors on the other end of the phone. Passengers thus modulate conversation when driving conditions change, and even participate in the task of monitoring the road. As [researcher] Frank A. Drews and his colleagues explain, this difference in driving performance "stems in large part from the changes in the difference in the structure of cellphone and passenger conversation and the degree to which the conversing dyad shares attention."

The disagreement between the science and the policy over the issue of hands-free phones is exemplified by recent discord between the U.S. government bodies tasked with addressing threats to traffic safety. In December 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an official, though in no way binding, recommendation for a ban on all cellphone usage while driving—including hands-free devices. The response has been mixed. For example, while Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has made combating distracted driving a central project of his tenure, he has distanced himself from the NTSB's recommendation, claiming "The problem is not hands-free.... That is not the big problem in America." He adds, "Anybody that wants to join the chorus against distracted driving, welcome aboard. If other people want to work on hands-free, so be it."

On the one hand, I sympathize with the apparent pragmatism of LaHood's strategy. Undeniable legislative progress has been made by aggressively addressing the distraction of handheld phones, especially on the issue of texting while driving. And this progress has come largely without raising the ire of a public and a business community that can be resistant to the regulation of hands-free devices. On the other hand, there are problems with this strategy.

First, when only handheld—and not hands-free—devices are subject to regulation, a message is inadvertently sent that hands-free phone usage while driving is safe. But as I noted earlier, the research shows this to be untrue. Second, the gap between the policy and the science is quickly being filled by new hands-free modes of cellular and Internet communication while driving.

The Source of Cellphone-Induced Driving Impairment

Describing the mental distraction of cellphone usage is tricky, especially in the context of a larger discussion in which some participants only acknowledge the visual distraction caused by looking away from the road and the manual distraction of taking a hand off the steering wheel. There are two general ways in which the mental distraction of cellphones has been conceived: inherent cognitive limitations, and long-developed habits of perception.

Despite a driver's intentions to drive safely, a dangerous level of distraction is caused by the phone conversation itself—not by the manual or visual interface with the device.

While researchers agree that cellphone usage results in dangerous driver distraction, there is no explicit consensus explanation of driver distraction in the empirical literature. Still, it is possible to abstract a general theory from the terminology through which these data are often cast: cellphone-induced driver distraction results from a human's inherent cognitive limitations. That is, using a phone and driving a car are understood to be two different tasks, each requiring some of our brain's limited stock of cognitive resources. In this view, the explanation for why cellphone usage results in driving impairment is because the brain does not possess the resources necessary to safely perform these two cognitively demanding tasks at the same time. For example, [researcher] Tova Rosenbloom summarizes the findings in this way: "the results are in line with the theory of inherent limited capacity of human attention ... which predicts that the attentional resources allocated to one task (talking) come at the expense of the other (driving)."

In my own work, I have suggested an alternative reading of the same data. Building on a philosophical tradition called phenomenology, which specializes in the deep description of human experience, I have developed an account of what it is like to use the phone and also what it is like to sit in the driver's seat and operate a vehicle. My contention is that users maintain strong habitual relationships with these technologies. For example, responsible driving requires a driver to have an almost automatic relationship with the car; if a driver must stop the car suddenly, she or he must stomp on the brake pedal at the moment the decision is made. A driver cannot first make the decision to brake, then recall that braking is something that involves pressing a pedal, and then press the brake. Safe driving demands that, through training, the driver has developed responses so automatic that she or he can instead actively focus on the road, on the mirrors, on the movements of other cars, on signs and lights, and such. The habits of the phone lead a user to focus on different things. The phone inclines a user to direct attention to the content of the conversation and to the presence of the person on the other end of the phone. The inclination is to become engrossed in conversation and to have the discussion stand forward within one's overall awareness. My suggestion is that the phone inclines a driver to become absorbed by the phone conversation through a pull much like that of a bad habit. Even if a driver intends to stay focused on the road while talking on the phone, the long-developed habits of the phone may slither in and draw attention toward the conversation.

Whether you prefer the cognitive scientists' explanation that inherent cognitive limitations are to blame for cellphone-related driving impairment, or the alternative suggestion that impairment results from long-developed habitual inclinations to get absorbed by phone conversation, the implications are the same: despite a driver's intentions to drive safely, a dangerous level of distraction is caused by the phone conversation itself—not by the manual or visual interface with the device.

Hands-Free Dashboard Technologies

The new developments enabling hands-free cellular communication while driving come in two forms. The first are newly emerging voice interface smartphone applications. These are programs that enable users—including drivers—to operate a number of a smartphone's functions through voice command. These include placing a call, dictating text messages, and having incoming text messages read aloud by the computer. The most influential of these is the iPhone's Siri application that offers a discussion-style interface with many of the smartphone's features.

Despite the danger science has shown hands-free devices to pose to drivers, the integration of these technologies into dashboards has become a key area of competition for the automotive industry.

The second form of hands-free communication available to drivers is cellular phone and Internet systems built into a car's dashboard. These new features enable drivers to call and text through voice command. Additionally, the devices may be engaged through buttons and scrolling thumbwheels affixed to the steering wheel or dashboard console, and information may be displayed on screens incorporated into the dashboard. One example is Ford's Sync system, which enables drivers to place hands-free calls, listen to text messages translated into an audio format, and even to reply to texts by sending one of a number of preset responses, such as "Stuck in traffic," and "Can you give me a call?" In an effort to compete with this and other companies offering similar features, General Motors is working to modify its OnStar system to facilitate calls and texting, and also to provide drivers a hands-free method for reading and entering posts on Facebook.

In its 2012 guide to new cars, Consumers Digest begins its review of these new dashboard technologies with a brief mention of the NTSB recommendation for the nationwide ban on all in-cab electronics—a ban which, if enacted, would place prohibitions on many of the new technologies the article is about to celebrate. With regard to the ban, the author surmises that, "in any case, we expect that automakers and phone companies, will reject the idea as unworkable." This seems like an understatement. Carroll Lachnit, an editor at Edmunds.com, makes a sharper observation, "It's a little bit of an arms race.... There is a sense among carmakers that if they don't start presenting these kinds of vehicle systems, they will be left in the dust."

With the development of dashboard-integrated cellular, Internet, and dictation technologies as an exploding area of innovation in the automotive industry, challenges and opportunities are afforded to engineers and computer scientists. But how should these opportunities be pursued? In light of the scientific findings on cellphone-induced driving impairment, practitioners of computer science and engineering ought to develop creative ways to mitigate the dangers of these technologies as they advance. These projects could include, for example, devising more sophisticated options for drivers to preprogram different automated responses tailored to different potential incoming calls, or crafting ways to alert callers that the person on the other end of the phone conversation is behind the wheel.

Safety Is in the Hands of Drivers

Despite the danger science has shown hands-free devices to pose to drivers, the integration of these technologies into dashboards has become a key area of competition for the automotive industry. The Hyundai advertisement mentioned at the beginning of this viewpoint is just one example of the way hands-free in-cab devices have become the centerpieces of marketing campaigns. And with the failure of the law to move on this issue, responsibility for the safety of pedestrians and the roadways is left exclusively in the hands of drivers.

Using a hands-free cellphone while driving is still legal in most countries, and it is easier than ever as hands-free devices are added to dashboards. This implies it is safe to use a hands-free phone while driving, and encourages you to do it. But it's not, and you shouldn't.

Citation for article 2:

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2015 Greenhaven Press, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition) Rosenberger, Robert. "Hands-Free Technology Does Not Keep Drivers Safe." Cell Phones and Driving, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010743229/OVIC?u=txshracd2500&sid=OVIC&xid=21d9e0ab. Accessed 6 Nov. 2019. Originally published as "The Problem with Hands-Free Dashboard Cellphones," Communications of the ACM, 8 Aug. 2013. Gale Document Number: GALE|EJ3010743229