Month: October 2017

A recent study for AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety by a University of Utah professor indicates that the “infotainment” technology automakers are increasingly adding to vehicle dashboards is highly distracting. The professor notes that previous studies have noted the problem but that an “explosion of technology” usable behind the wheel is making the problem worse. The problem is not only that automakers are including a lot of this technology but also that it’s becoming more complicated. Instead of a few knobs and buttons, some vehicles now sport 50 multi-functional buttons on

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The data for 2016 is in from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the news is somewhat troubling. While fatalities from distracted drivers dipped by 2.2 percent last year, overall traffic deaths rose for the second straight year. NHTSA cites other forms of risky behavior including speeding, failure to wear seatbelts and drunk driving as responsible for the increase. The safety agency estimates that 37, 461 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents last year. That’s the highest number since 2007. Fatal crashes increased by 5.6 percent over 2015,

Continue reading Distracted driving deaths down, fatalities up from risky driving…

It is easy to understand why many people are eager to see the arrival of driverless cars. The technology has the potential to ease congestion and reduce the number of traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities. While it is not yet clear that the promise of driverless tech will be delivered, it is increasingly clear that Rockville streets will one day soon be populated with at least some driverless vehicles. One of the looming questions is whether all of those driverless vehicles will have humans in them. Not far from us, members

Continue reading Will driverless vehicles be required to have a human onboard?…