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Parent Category: News

Category: 6 Blog

Created on Tuesday, 03 April 2012 01:21

Written by Brian Zwahr

Are voice controls really as safe as they are claimed to be? Researchers are looking into it, but it looks as though the immediate answer is a firm "not quite".

Voice controls are becoming more and more common these days. One of the reasons for this is the need for "hands-off" operation of devices. This is especially the focus of devices used while driving, such as cell phones and navigation systems. From "hands free" headsets to full on voice control, keeping drivers' hands on the wheel and eyes on the road has been a priority for device manufacturer's and market teams.

However, there is research to show that even when using voice controls, a driver's reaction time is slowed down. David Strayer, professor of psychology at the University of Utah, states that during research for the AAA Foundation for Traffic safety, he found that using voice controls to interact with a device, such as having email read to the driver, caused a slower reaction time that listening to music or even talking on a phone. 

Since "hands free" has been all the rage in recent years, its interesting to see this area under contest. This could be a good thing, though, because finding out that something isn't as safe as it was thought to be is the first step to improving the safety involved.

For more information, check out the source article below.

Source: USA Today