NHTSA driver distraction guidelines for portable and aftermarket devices

Published in the December 2016 issue of Washington Update

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a notice of proposed federal guidelines detailing the proposed contents of the second phase of NHTSA’s Driver Distraction Guidelines (Phase 2 Guidelines). The purpose of the Phase 2 Guidelines is to provide a safety framework for developers of portable and aftermarket electronic devices to use when developing visual-manual user interfaces for their systems. The Guidelines encourage innovative solutions such as pairing and Driver Mode that, when implemented, will reduce the potential for unsafe driver distraction by limiting the time a driver's eyes are off the road, while at the same time preserving the full functionality of these devices when they are not used while driving. Currently no safety guidelines exist for portable device technologies when they are used during a driving task.

NHTSA seeks comments and suggestions to improve this proposal. You should submit your comments early enough to be received not later than February 3, 2017. Agency Contact: Chris Monk (202) 366-5195. PUBLISHED: 12/5/2016; ACTION: NOTICE; REFERENCE: 81 FR 887656.

View full text of this notice.



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