07/06/2012
Study Finds Sat-Navs Could Affect Driving Ability
A new study suggests that sat-nav systems can not only sometimes send motorists the wrong way but also impair driving.
They study was carried out by researchers at University of London and Lancaster University, who tested drivers in a car simulator.
The study suggested motorists did not drive as safely when they were trying to concentrate on the directions given.
While they could cope with simple instructions, they started to swerve, speed up or fail to notice pedestrians if they had too much information.
Volunteers were set tasks by a computer, which imitated the instructions given by a vehicle's satellite navigation system.
Lancaster University's Dr Pragya Agarwal said the research could help sat-nav design to be more effective and user-friendly in the future.
The Department for Transport acknowledged that sat-navs were very useful for motorists but warned drivers to use them responsibly and keep their eyes on the road.
(H)
They study was carried out by researchers at University of London and Lancaster University, who tested drivers in a car simulator.
The study suggested motorists did not drive as safely when they were trying to concentrate on the directions given.
While they could cope with simple instructions, they started to swerve, speed up or fail to notice pedestrians if they had too much information.
Volunteers were set tasks by a computer, which imitated the instructions given by a vehicle's satellite navigation system.
Lancaster University's Dr Pragya Agarwal said the research could help sat-nav design to be more effective and user-friendly in the future.
The Department for Transport acknowledged that sat-navs were very useful for motorists but warned drivers to use them responsibly and keep their eyes on the road.
(H)
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