WHISTLES COULD MAKE MATTERS WORSE. HERE'S NBC'S TOM
COSTELLO. >> Reporter: FROM SALT LAKE CITY POLICE,
DASHCAM VIDEO OF A HEAD-ON CRASH. THE OTHER DRIVER
ALLEGEDLY DISTRACTED. NOW NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE NEWEST
CAR TECHNOLOGY MAY ONLY BE CREATING GREATER DISTRACTIONS.
>> SPEAK AN ADDRESS IN THE UNITED STATES. >> Reporter: NO MORE
SIMPLE BUTTONS AND KNOBS. TODAY TOUCH SCREENS,
VOICE COMMANDS, TALK TO TEX, E-MAIL, MUSIC, NAVIGATION, PHONE
CALLS AND WIFI. AAA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STUDIED 120
DRIVERS TRYING TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY IN 2017 MODELS LIKE THIS
DRIVER TUNING HIS RADIO. >> TUNE A.M., 8:30,
THEN WEAVING TO AVOID A WOMAN IN THE CROSSWALK.
AND THIS ONE WHO NEARLY RUNS A STOP SIGN WHILE USING A
TOUCH SCREEN. OF THE 30 VEHICLES TESTED, 23 NANDED HIGH
OR VERY HIGH DRIVER ATTENTION TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY.
DRIVERS TYPE ADDRESSES INTO THE GPS WERE DISTRACTED THE MOST,
UP TO 40 SECONDS. MY EYES ARE OFF THE ROAD IN THE MOMENT.
I WENT TORE A TEST DRIVE WITH LEAD RESEARCHER DAVID
STRAYER. HOW DO YOU CHANGE SCREENS HERE FROM A.M.
TO FM? I DIDN'T REALIZE MY EYES WERE OFF THE ROAD
FOR 15 SECONDS AS I TRIED TO TUNE THE RADIO.
>> MUCH OF THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TASK OF
DRIVING. >> Reporter: THE CAR INDUSTRY SAYS THE
TECHNOLOGY IS MEANT TO REPLACE PORTABLE DEVICES THAT CAN BE A
GREATER DISTRACTION. HANDS ON THE WHEEL AND EYES ON THE ROAD
CONTINUE TO BE CRITICAL TO SAFE DRIVING.
>> SEND JEANNETTE A TEXT MESSAGE. >> I DIDN'T GET THAT.
>> Reporter: THE CONCERN, THE TECHNOLOGY MAY SIMPLY
