WASHINGTON: Drivers using hands-free virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri can be distracted by the technology, creating safety hazards, according to a study. The study produced for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that some systems offering hands-free communications for tasks such as navigation or changing radio stations can create “cognitive distractions” which compromise safety.
The research comes amid growing use of hands-free technology which aims to get drivers to avoid the dangerous use of hand-held phones behind the wheel. But with the technology offering more complex functions — such as making dinner reservations or updating social media profiles — these virtual assistants have their own perils.
“Technologies used in the car that rely on voice communications may have unintended consequences that adversely affect road safety,” said Peter Kissinger, president and chief executive of the foundation. AFP
