LaHood to talk to automakers about his fears of in-car technology

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is concerned that a host of new technologies fitted in vehicles are distracting drivers. “Some of these car manufacturers are putting all these gadgets and bells and whistles that are going to distract people - and we're trying to get gadgets and bells and whistles out of their hands and out of their ears,” he says. Although LaHood has declined to say if he will try to restrict manufacturers from fitting in-vehicle technologies, he does say, “I am going to talk to the car manufacturers and see where this leads.”

LaHood has campaigned for a ban on hand-held texting and cell phone use and has made it a priority, saying he is on a ‘rampage’ against the practice. President Obama has already barred four million federal workers from sending text messages while driving government vehicles. The directive also applies to privately owned vehicles driven by employees on official business. LaHood held meetings with automobile manufacturers in October 2009 and plans to meet with them again on the issue. LaHood says he recently saw Ford Motor Co president and CEO, Alan Mulally, and the two have been emailing about distracted driving. Ford has been especially concerned that regulators may try to impose rules on its Sync in-vehicle communication system. Ford spokesman, Mike Moran, says, “Ford believes that industry-government partnerships can work to advance our shared policy goals of better fuel economy, cleaner environment, a safe driving experience and strengthening American manufacturing and jobs.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says nearly 6,000 people died last year in crashes in the USA involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured. It is estimated by the NHSTA that on any given day in 2009, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently issued a study stating that bans on hand-held cell phones in New York, the District of Columbia, Connecticut and California have had no impact on the number of auto accidents. LaHood says the reason the prohibitions are ineffective, is that police are not aggressively enforcing them.