How Effective Is Apple CarPlay At Reducing Distracted Driving?

Since the invention of the automobile, car manufacturers have been seeking and finding ways to make cars safer; consider that the original automobiles did not have seat belts, horns, or even steering wheels.  The ubiquity of cell phones, which eventually metamorphoses into complex handheld mobile devices of great intelligence, has presented a new set of challenges when it comes to traffic safety.  It can be dangerous to drive with a cell phone, but it can also be dangerous to drive without one; can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em, as the saying goes.  Systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard in many cars; these systems aim to enable drivers to use the features of their smartphones that are conducive to driving in ways that minimize distractions, while making drivers disengage from the features that clearly don’t mix with driving.  Estimates vary as to how much these technologies reduce distractions for drivers.  If you have been injured in a car accident involving distracted driving, contact a South Carolina car accident lawyer.

Hands-Free but Not Eyes-Free or Ears-Free

Technologies like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect your smartphone directly to your car’s touch screen controls and audio system.  They enable you to access your phone’s music collection, podcasts, music streaming apps, and navigation apps.  They also enable you to make phone calls, to have incoming text messages read, and to dictate text messages.  In addition to using the car’s touch screen, you can also communicate through voice commands.  Apple CarPlay and Android Auto do not connect to email, Google’s search engine capabilities, or any apps that show video content.  This is because navigation and communication help you drive, and listening to a podcast stored on your phone is no more distracting than listening to your car radio, but reading work emails and watching videos are detrimental to all drivers’ focus.

Of course, the less distracting aspects of your smartphone, when connected to your car, are still more distracting than watching the road from a silent car, but then again, even listening to the radio can be a distraction.  A study published on the Cult of Mac website showed that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are more distracting than a hands-free phone, and about as distracting as a handheld phone, especially when they are in touch mode.  Being able to navigate out of an unfamiliar place and make emergency phone calls by voice command is certainly safer than not having a way to communicate with the outside world, but drivers must still be cautious when using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Reach Out to Us Today for Help

Distracted driving contributes to a large percentage of car accidents.  A Columbia car accident lawyer can help you collect damages if you have suffered severe injuries in a car accident, especially if you were hit by a distracted driver.  Contact The Stanley Law Group for a consultation.