Telematics devices are becoming increasingly popular in vehicles and their functionality is expanding. While these technologies have great potential to assist drivers in the driving task, lack of consideration of the human element in design can lead to impaired driving performance and increased risk of collision. Experience from aviation, military and complex industrial systems indicates that technology-centred designs can lead to user rejection and system failure, resulting in accidents. Transport Canada is concerned with the potential adverse consequences of in-vehicle telematics and wants to explore intervention strategies for limiting the risk of crashes associated with their use. The purpose of this document is to outline Transport Canada’s concerns with driver distraction and explore some potential industry and government initiatives for limiting this problem. The objectives of the subsequent consultation are to obtain detailed information on what industry is doing or planning and understand what federal interventions are feasible, appropriate and expected by Canadians. (Author/publisher)
Abstract