Irish Car+Travel Oct. 2013 | Page 25

Beware the Tunnel Effect Connectivity can help safety, fuel savings, and traffic Drivers speaking on the phone while driving are prone to a 'tunnel vision' which could mean they miss potential dangers, according to Dr Natasha Merat of the Institute for Transport Studies at Leeds University. In her presentation to the Forum she illustrated how there is a 'massive' drop in peripheral vision when a driver is concentrating on a conversation on a hands-free phone. The study was carried out by measuring the eye movements of drivers in real traffic situations at a particular junction, with and without the distraction of talking on the phone. Dr Merat said there were differences between visual distractions where a driver looks away from the road and 'minds off the road' distractions even while watching the road ahead. "Although you are watching where you are going, you may not see the car preparing to enter the road in front of you, or a pedestrian preparing to cross." Although most car connectivity systems are currently all about offering convenience in phone and entertainment capability, increasingly they will play much more serious roles in safety, traffic optimisation, and fuel savings, according to Dr Pim van der Jagt. "Studies have shown that in a future where all cars are able to 'talk' to each other, informing them of position, speed and direction, then they can all take action together. We believe that up to 70 percent of all accidents could be addressed by these technologies. If not completely avoided, the severity of the crashes can be reduced." Dr van der Jagt suggested a future where cars could automatically warn those following of slippery patches encountered, traffic jams beginning, and electronic transmission of braking from vehicles two or three cars ahead. This allows the driver further back to take earlier action. "There are infinite possibilities to do with connectivity. In a future when there are enough cars enabled with these systems, there is even the possibility that we can actively by remote take control of a car in a dangerous situation." Other aspects include the ability of transport infrastructure such as traffic lights being able to communicate with vehicles in the traffic stream so their speed can be regulate ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????Q??????????)???????????????????????????????UM????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????Q????????????????????????????????????????????)??????()Q??????????)????????)?????????()I??????A?????)?????)??????)A??????????)????????)i??????) ????????)Q???)1?????)?????) ???????I?????)%??????()1?????A???)?????)?????) ?????????)???????????)????????%P) ?????M????()1?????A???)