Slashgeo

In-Car Navigation Systems Too Distracting?

posted by Satri on Thursday February 23, @09:36AM        Permalink  Trackback URI  Slashdotthis  Diggthis  Del.icio.us
from the keep-your-eyes-on-the-road dept.

Slashdot host a discussion about the distractiveness of in-car navigation systems. The slashdot summary: "A survey released by an insurance company shows that drivers with in-car navigation systems are more likely to lose concentration than drivers who unfold a map while driving. From the article: 'One in 10 motorists with navigation systems set off on their journeys without bothering to program their route, and more than half admitted that they then had to take their eyes off the road to input the details while driving. Nearly one in eight did not even bother to check out a route they were unfamiliar with and simply relied on the technology to get them to their destination.'" Additionally, VerySpatial tells us GPS and Driving also doesn't mix very well.

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Satellite Navigation Sends Drivers Over Cliff [+]

redgeographics writes "According to this BBC article, drivers following satellite navigation systems through a village called Crackpot in North Yorkshire have been directed along a track at the edge of a 100ft cliff. The article mentions that one company supplying data for these navigation systems has already removed the offending road." This story is discussed by Slashdot. See also previously covered related stories below about other dangers of in-car navigation.

• It's true...

  (Score:2, Insightful)

  by redgeographics (145) <{hans} {at} {redgeographics.com}> on Thursday February 23, @11:00AM (#461)
  ( http://www.redgeographics.com/ )

  I agree... up until recently I was using a navigation system that was kinda buggy sometimes (software lockup, slow in getting a GPS signal) and I noticed that at the times it was acting up, I would focus too much of my attention on the thing and not enough on the road. The problem is fixed now in that it can't get a GPS signal at all (and consequently won't navigate...). I'm looking for a new one :)

  As for the 'blind trust' some people seem to have in their navigation, this is cause for concern. We've all heard the urban legend of the woman driving off the ferry dock because her navigation system told her so, but there's dozens of real examples, including people ending up on the train tracks. Personally, I ignore the navigation system until I'm getting close to my destination. Driving to a city is easy, driving into a city center where you're not familiar is difficult, so that's where I use navigation.

  --
  Hans van der Maarel