Distracted driving - ORF and AutoBild report from the AUDIO MOBIL test site

Selecting a navigation destination, scrolling through the music list imported into the vehicle from the smartphone or simply making a phone call - activities that we have probably all carried out once or several times while driving. We will also be very familiar with the uneasy feeling in our stomachs about how we have covered the distance we have driven in the meantime without being able to actually follow it.

Distraction as a major risk factor

Two major media organizations - ORF Salzburg and the German AutoBild - recently devoted extensive reports to this critical issue of distracted driving. The editors' ambitious self-experiments were filmed and photographed on the hermetically sealed test site of AUDIO MOBIL Elektronik GmbH. Supported by their scientific partner, the Car-Lab at the University of Salzburg, the editors were set simple tasks - as mentioned at the beginning - which had to be solved in addition to the pure driving task.

The unanimous tenor of the test subjects after the scientifically evaluated test drives: "You would never think that such simple activities would be so distracting from the primary task of controlling the vehicle. We can only appeal to all drivers to only carry out these procedures before starting to drive - anything else is dangerous."

Executive accompanied test scenario

Upon request, the Braunau municipal police, led by Inspector Schnell, agreed to accompany the test drives on the AUDIO MOBIL premises. The police have been aware of the risk of distraction for some time and the accident statistics clearly show this. The prevention measures in coordination with the Federal Ministry of the Interior are aimed precisely in this direction and are intended to make drivers more aware of this issue in the long term. "Distraction is the most common cause of accidents resulting in personal injury. The use of user-friendly car operating systems must therefore gain in importance as quickly as possible in order to make our mobile future safer," explains AUDIO MOBIL Managing Director Thomas Stottan in this context.

HMI test series as a regulated basic test for vehicle operating systems

As part of the HMI tests carried out on the proving ground relating to vehicle operation, a test facility is currently being considered which - similar to Euro-NCAP - will test the various vehicle operating systems for safety and the resulting distraction potential. The concept for such an institution, which is intended to generate a globally standardized evaluation, is available and initial discussions have already been held with potential partners.