Distracted driving claims thousands of lives each year

In an effort to combat the growing problem of distracted driving, General Motors (GM) has been actively conducting technology assessments and innovative research at its driver distraction labs located in the Milford Proving Grounds. During an exclusive tour, Tricia Morrow, manager of GM's safety crash avoidance technology and strategy team, highlighted the alarming statistics showing that distracted driving results in thousands of fatalities annually, and that risky driving behaviors particularly peak during midday hours, around 1 p.m. A recent study from AI dashboard camera company Samsara revealed Arizona as the state with the highest level of distractions per 1,000 miles driven. To address these issues, GM operates two distinct test labs: the Drive-On Simulator and the Mini-Sim simulator. The simulations involve test drivers performing specific tasks, such as navigating their vehicles using in-car systems, all while gauging their distractions. The insights from these simulations are routinely communicated back to design teams to streamline in-vehicle tasks. The labs aim to mitigate distractions by limiting manual inputs and encouraging the use of voice-activated commands that allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road. In conjunction with these testing facilities, GM is implementing advanced technologies aimed at improving driver attention. The KSS, developed by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, rates drivers’ drowsiness levels from one to nine. As the level of drowsiness increases, the system prompts alerts and suggests user activities such as listening to music or making a call to keep the driver engaged. According to Divya Pemmaraju, senior product manager at GM, the system allows users to customize their alert preferences to ensure a balance between staying alert and maintaining overall satisfaction with the vehicle’s features. Moreover, GM supports initiatives like the Governor's Highway Safety Administration, which collaborates with states to implement pilot programs focused on reducing distracted driving. Teen drivers are particularly vulnerable to crashes resulting from distracted behaviors, and as automakers further integrate safety technology, such as automatic emergency braking and lane centering, the challenge remains to keep these features effective yet user-friendly. The ongoing work at GM’s driver distraction labs signifies the company’s commitment to evolving its features to meet customer acceptance while simultaneously enhancing road safety.