Abstract
This research is seeking to establish good voice interaction systems to help curb road incarnage resulting from driving distracters. To achieve this, various methods o data collection and analysis are going to be explored. Among the key methods in this research will be going through written journals, electronic sources that include the websites and website articles as well as field resources such as interviews. Existing research on voice iteractive systems will also add value to this research. However, much cannot be achieved without paying key attention to the sources and nature of driving distracters. Findings of this research paper will hopefully enhance developments in this field.
Voice Interaction Systems for Better Driving
- Introduction
This study aspires to investigate how better voice interaction systems can improve driving. Driving without proper communication system lowers coordination leading to loss of control and eventually accidents some of which are fatal. To avert these problems, there is an urgent need of developing better voice interactive systems that exploit the modern technology. Driving can be made better drivers constantly receive reliable information regarding traffic flow, weather and bearing and location of places. These devices that aid in-vehicle systems network services should range from hands-free to eyes-free Fitting automobiles with interactive communication interface that can provide all these information is very vital for the improvement of driving experience on any roads. These interactive communication interfaces would provide solutions to major road safety concerns. To date, drivers do not have access to adequate and reliable Voice Interaction Systems.
- Methods
This research was based on other studies, articles and books. Out of these sources, they differently focused on voice interaction, driving distractions and the voice interactive devices and systems. A thorough perusal on other researchers’ works is very necessary for diagnosing this problem and thus this research activity. These alone cannot put this research into its current economic context. Therefore, a visit to the actual field was inevitable.
- Articles
This is a field which other researchers have explored. There are articles that have given various approaching towards improving driving on modern roads. These articles arise from university and college professionals who have conducted credible research. Lewis Mowatt’s article gives a practical advancement towards the development of voice interactive systems to enhance driving. This article is a case of the BMW manufacturing company that has initiated a Nuance Voice Control for Automotives.
- Electronic sources
The electronic sources available in websites provide much information mainly on the distracters of smooth driving. In these sources, different writers give various approaches in explaining further the distracters to driving. The AAA foundation of traffic safety highlights some of the key distracters to smooth driving. Through this source, the necessity of the developing and using voice interaction devices and systems or the achievement of better driving.
- Interview
Personal interview of drivers on the key sources of their distraction while driving added high value to this research. The drivers gave their own account of the challenges they have on the roads. In fact, most of the interviewed drivers cited the same causes available on websites and published journals. This meant that these distracters are real. For instance, many drivers accepted irresistibly using their cell phones either to text messages or to make voice calls to their friends and families.
Results
The results from this research are based on the driver and the traffic control units as well as the automotive designers or manufacturers. To better bring out a clear scope of this study, it would be important to present the driving distracters that necessitate the development and use of voice interactive systems or devices.
- Driving distractions
As the drivers are driving on the roads, they are exposed to various physical distracters and visual distracters. Visual distracters include auditory and cognitive distracters. Physical driving distracters include bad weather. This research went ahead to establish the sources of these driving distracters. These sources include eating or drinking, third party such as foreign objects or people, adjusting of entertainment devices such as radio, other passengers in the car, using mobile phones among many others.
- Traffic control unit
This department has not done enough in ensuring that drivers are constantly exposed to and use interactive communication devices. Key gadgets in use are traffic lights and the traffic police that cannot provide the maximum coordination needed especially during the rush hours that involve heavy traffic flow.
- Automotive designers and manufacturers
The manufacturers of the automotive machine do not put considerable concerns on the safety of their drivers. They do not install working and easy to use voice interaction systems and devices. What they emphasize on is the comfort of these cars and other automobiles.
- Drivers
Many driver interviewed on the ground said that they have problems relaying and receiving information while driving. Due to lack of information, they end up taking wrong routes that lead them into snarling traffic jams or blocked roads due to accidents. Furthermore, they may take wrong road that have got problems and are thus not navigable.
- Discussion
Driving is a very challenging experience that calls for maximum attention and soberness. In most cases, drivers are faced by various situations that seek their attention. For instance, entertainment devices such are audio and visual gadgets are very tempting and hence inevitable. In this situation, it becomes more challenging to multitask driving and operation of these devices. Many drivers have caused fatal accidents while trying to adjust the volume or generally operate their music systems. As they do so, their attention is distracted leading loss of control on the road. Above all, the use of mobile phones for communication during driving has been the leading distracter on the modern roads. A lot of distraction is also attributed to third party or rather external elements that include careless pedestrians and other objects.
Some of the pedestrians using our roads are ignorant of the traffic rules hence they end up interfering with the drivers while driving along major roads and highways. Apart from the pedestrians, passengers in the car are a similar cause of interference to the driving process. Many of these passengers keep on chatting and seeking for the driver’s attention by asking questions and requesting for items. Driving is also distracted by physical phenomenon such as poor weather. Misty weather results into impaired visibility that interferes with the driver’s ability to see the road clearly. This weather condition may be caused by heavy rainfall or existence of fog and mist in the highly humid atmosphere. At times, visibility can be impaired by just very dull atmosphere caused by heavy dark clouds hanging very low.
The manufactures’ lack of incorporation of the safety devices in their cars is a great case of concern. Even though some automotive manufacturers have put considerable attempts to incorporate the modern technology in developing their safety devices. Devices such as Nuance Voice Control for Automotive which has the ability to enable a single consistent voice interface to connected car services. This technology has been embraced by the BMW Company. This company has integrated this technology to provide drivers with a variety of communication and assistance services that updates the drivers through e-mailing pertaining to places and their locations.
Fig. 1: How all NVC Auto components work together to deliver integrated access to on-device, on-board, and off-board services through a single, consolidated speech interface.
These auto components are designed to enable efficient voice interaction with the off-board services using a mobile network.
References
Distracted Driving. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2013, from AAAFoundation of Traffic Safety:
https://www.aaafoundation.org/distracted-driving
Matthias Peissner and Florian Metze. (2011). Can Voice Interaction Help Reducing the level of
distraction and Prevent Accidents? . Nuance Communications , 1-24.
Mowatt, L. (2009). Nuance Voice Control for Automotive . 1-12.
