NHTSA Seeks Stakeholder Recommendations on Mobile Device Distracted-Driving Tech Guidelines

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sought stakeholders’ recommendations Wednesday on best practices it should include in its voluntary guidelines for technology meant to allow drivers safe and limited use of mobile devices while a vehicle is in motion. The guidelines, which NHTSA plans to propose later this year, are “Phase 2” of the agency’s plans to collaborate with stakeholders on distracted driving technology. NHTSA released its “Phase 1” guidelines last year, which focused on distraction mitigation related to devices built into a vehicle (http://1.usa.gov/1iBUXBV). The “Phase 3” guidelines would examine technology related to auditory and vocal interfaces, NHTSA said. A meeting Wednesday was the first in what NHTSA plans to be a series of input sessions, said acting NHTSA Administrator David Friedman. NHTSA is also seeking written comments on the guidelines, which stakeholders can submit until May 12, said a notice in the Federal Register (http://xrl.us/bqpmr4).

NHTSA plans to structure the Phase 2 guidelines around a framework similar to what it used for Phase 1 -- including the same set of principles, Friedman said. Those principles include that technology should allow a driver to “usually” keep his eyes on the road and to have at least one hand on the steering wheel. The guidelines would also operate under the principle that the technology should always allow the driver to interrupt a task, should be easily viewed and should allow the driver to control the technology “and not vice versa,” Friedman said.

The guidelines would also include criteria determining which technologies should always be “locked out” while a vehicle is running, including manual text entry, video and image displays, automatically scrolling text and the display of books and social media content, said Chris Monk, chief of NHTSA’s Human Factors division.

NHTSA should craft the Phase 2 guidelines around certain core objectives, showcasing a variety of technical solutions and approaches because no one approach will be a “silver bullet,” said Ken DiPrima, AT&T assistant vice president-emerging devices. NHTSA should not prescribe specific devices, operating systems or functions in the guidelines, but it should recommend device and operating system providers allow third parties to gain access to key APIs in order to develop better connectivity solutions, DiPrima said. AT&T is continuing to develop apps and other technologies for its customers that will prevent distracted driving, including DriveMode, DiPrima said. The app suppresses notifications for text messages and other events, and can send an auto-reply message indicating the user is driving. DriveMode can be configured to automatically enable when GPS technology detects a vehicle is moving at more than 25 mph, DiPrima said. The app comes preloaded on Android phones, and is also available for Windows and BlackBerry operating systems, he said.

A CEA working group is developing its own best practices for designing personal electronic devices to allow for safe driver usage, which it intends to complete this summer, said Dave Wilson, CEA senior director-technology and standards. CEA believes it’s important that devices be able to connect with car systems and be aware of the car’s current operating status, Wilson said. The working group has outlined basic principles it’s using as it constructs its best practices, including that technology shouldn’t obstruct the driver’s view, that device mounting allows for easy access, that devices include driver-friendly settings, that a device is responsive and that a function allows for single-handed operation.

General Motors believes NHTSA should release the Phase 2 guidelines as soon as possible and ensure the guidelines include performance-based standards, said Dan Kinney, GM director-Global Connected Consumer Group. GM believes device connectivity is important, with phone projection technologies presenting an opportunity for car manufacturers and device manufacturers to collaborate, Kinney said. Device integration is a “key challenge,” requiring automobile and device manufacturers to continue to work together and keep the customer experience in mind, he said.

Toyota would like more exploration of new technologies that would improve driver connectivity and safety, particularly possibilities related to Near Field Communications, said Tuhin Diptiman, manager-distraction research for the Toyota Technical Center’s Human Factors Group. Toyota has worked to simplify phone pairing through its Entune multimedia system, which uses a simplified screen layout, larger font sizes and bigger buttons to make it easier and more desirable for a driver to use Toyota’s connected car service than the device itself, he said. The service also further limits functionality while a vehicle is in motion, including limiting texting options, Diptiman said. Compatibility can be an issue, with Android phones more consistently updated than Apple phones, he said.