Some of the newer features in automobiles might seem attractive and convenient, but are these advancements making you a more dangerous driver? Safety experts think so, and they are critical of the hands-free systems, such as Ford’s Sync system.
The second generation of Sync allows drivers to listen to text messages and change radio stations with audio commands. While Ford representatives say the Sync system makes safer drivers because it stops people from having to look at their phones while driving, safety experts disagree. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) says hands-free systems are just as dangerous as handling a cell phone behind the wheel.
Technology like Sync causes drivers to miss crucial visual and audio cues, said a USDOT spokesperson. Automakers respond by saying hands-free technology makes it easier for drivers to do things that they are going to do anyway. The USDOT is making efforts to caution drivers about distracted driving, which causes approximately 500,000 injuries from car crashesevery year in the United States. Safety experts, along with the USDOT, believe that voice-activation is no safer than holding the cell phone in your hand when driving.
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