Drivers Court Danger by Talking to Cars

Just because you can talk to your car doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Voice-activated smartphones and dashboard infotainment systems may be worsening our problem with distracted driving instead of making it better, two new studies find. The systems let drivers do such things as tune the radio, send a text message, or make a phone call while keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. But many of these systems are so error-prone or complex that they require more concentration from drivers rather than less, according to studies released Tuesday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the University of Utah.