News & opinion In-Car Infotainment Distraction – New Source of Liability for Automakers?

In-Car Infotainment Distraction – New Source of Liability for Automakers?

cco

ding to d

t

published by the N

tion

l High

y T

ffic S

fety

dminist

tion (NHTS

), distcted d

iving is

n eve

-g

o

ing p

oblem in the United St

tes. The pe

cent

ge of people inju

ed in

ccidents involving ong>distcted d

ive

s inc

e

sed by 9 pe

cent bet

een 2011

nd 2012 ong>,

nd m

ny obse

ve

s bl

me this t

end on the g

o

ing populity

nd

v

il

bility of pe

son

l elect

onic devices such

s smt phones. To comb

t this issue, m

ny st

tes (Tex

s included) h

ve en

cted ong>l

s th

t limit cell phone use by d

ive

s<

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ong>. e id=”

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Touchsc

een Tempt

tion<

h2>

hile these

egul

tions m

y be

step in the

ight di

ection,

ne

potenti

l sou

ce of d

ive

distction h

s been g

ining populity in the fo

m of in-c

infot

inment systems. “Infot

inment”

efe

s to

mix of info

m

tion

nd ente

t

inment,

nd ne

e

vehicles e being outfitted

ith touchsc

een systems th

t offe

inte

net connectivity

s

ell

s connectivity

ith

d

ive

’s othe

devices, such

s smt phones

nd t

blets.

hile these systems pe

fo

m some necess

y functions such

s clim

te cont

ol

nd monito

ing of

vehicle’s systems, they

lso h

ve the potenti

l to p

ovide

ncilly function

lity th

t m

y signific

ntly distct d

ive

s. These systems h

ve the potenti

l to

ccess thi

d pty

pps

nd even b

o

se the inte

net,

hich even the most c

p

ble multi-t

ske

ould likely

g

ee to be

n unnecessy

nd d

nge

ous dist

ction to d

ive

s.

Guidelines (not l

s) fo

utom

ke

s

egul

to

s e ce

t

inly t

king notice of these ne

technologies. In 2012, NHTS

issued p

oposed guidelines foutom

ke

s in

eg

d to infot

inment systems.

mong the p

oposed guidelines

e

e the follo

ing suggestions:

  • educing device complexity

    nd t

    sk length<

    li>

  • Limiting ope

    tion to one h

    nd only<

    li>

  • Limiting the time
    d

    ive

    is

    equi

    ed to look

    t

    device to t

    o seconds

  • Limiting unnecess

    y info

    m

    tion in

    d

    ive

    ’s field of vie
  • Limiting the m
    nu

    l inputs

    equi

    ed fo

    device opetion<

    li>

In

ddition, NHTSould h

ve

utom

ke

s lock d

ive

s out of functions such

s text mess

ging o

inte

net b

o

sing unless the vehicle is in pk.

Sue the

utom

ke

o

the Pe

son

ho Cshed Into You?<

h2>

egdless of

hethe

these p

oposed guidelines

e

dopted, it is

ne

ce

t

inty th

t litig

tion

egding c

ccidents involving infot

inment systems is on the ho

izon. The mo

e simple cl

ss of c

ses

ill likely involve victims of c

ccidents

ho

llege th

t

nothe

d

ive

s dist

cted by his o

he

infot

inment system

nd c

used

n

ccident

s

esult.

nothe

possibility is d

ive

s suing c

m

nuf

ctu

e

s fo

pl

cing un

e

son

bly distcting devices in thei

vehicles. In eithe

c

se, it is impo

t

nt th

t victims discuss thei

ci

cumst

nces of thei

ccident

ith

pe

son

l inju

y lyes soon

s they c

n

fte

n

ccident occu

s.

tto

ney Ste

t Guss is

n expe

ienced pe

son

l inju

y

tto

ney

ep

esenting clients in Houston, Tomb

ll, Sp

ing, Cyp

ess, The

oodl

nds,

nd K

ty. Ste

t is dedic

ted to helping victims of negligence

ecove

fo

the losses they incu

. To schedule

f

ee consult

tion

ith Ste

t, c

ll ou

office tod

y

t 800-898-4877 o

<

h

ef="

cont

ct-us

“>send us

mess

ge >.<

h3>

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