Bryan Reimer, from the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), recently talked to Edmunds about his research into how cognitive demands and new technologies affect drivers of all ages.
The main goal is to determine which ones impact the body and decision-making process of drivers. In short, his approach consists in determining how we perceive the road by analyzing eye movement, heart rate and skin conductance in various conditions.
He says drivers make more appropriate decisions as they get older. Older drivers are disturbed more easily, and make a conscious effort to take less risks (by not driving at night, for instance). Conversely, young drivers feel invincible and are much more reckless.
Reimer did however observe that these two groups have one thing in common: they’re more easily distracted than someone in mid-age.
The younger generations tend to focus on text messaging while the older generations are more troubled by alarms and/or flashing lights, something that doesn’t affect young adults as much.
Though he finds new technologies like automatic parallel parking interesting, he doesn’t believe you can eliminate distracted driving by relying solely on the technology. Drivers need to be educated, something that the American auto market is in desperate need of.
He says reading a 200-, 300- or 400-page owner’s manual written in part by a legal team can’t increase your confidence in a given technology or allow you to understand how it works.
A delivery agent or hands-on course that would formally teach the buyer about the various technologies employed in the vehicle would be much more appropriate, allowing consumers to really understand and properly make use of the systems. Otherwise, all those gadgets are just so much fluff.
Source : Auto Observer
The main goal is to determine which ones impact the body and decision-making process of drivers. In short, his approach consists in determining how we perceive the road by analyzing eye movement, heart rate and skin conductance in various conditions.
He says drivers make more appropriate decisions as they get older. Older drivers are disturbed more easily, and make a conscious effort to take less risks (by not driving at night, for instance). Conversely, young drivers feel invincible and are much more reckless.
Reimer did however observe that these two groups have one thing in common: they’re more easily distracted than someone in mid-age.
The younger generations tend to focus on text messaging while the older generations are more troubled by alarms and/or flashing lights, something that doesn’t affect young adults as much.
Though he finds new technologies like automatic parallel parking interesting, he doesn’t believe you can eliminate distracted driving by relying solely on the technology. Drivers need to be educated, something that the American auto market is in desperate need of.
He says reading a 200-, 300- or 400-page owner’s manual written in part by a legal team can’t increase your confidence in a given technology or allow you to understand how it works.
A delivery agent or hands-on course that would formally teach the buyer about the various technologies employed in the vehicle would be much more appropriate, allowing consumers to really understand and properly make use of the systems. Otherwise, all those gadgets are just so much fluff.
Source : Auto Observer