You’re steering with your left hand while your right is punching car-stereo buttons in eager search of that amazing new Lady Gaga song. Your mobile phone rings, and as you adjust your headset—hands-free, naturally—the driver in front of you slams on his brakes …
Sound familiar? For drivers, such a scenario is almost commonplace. These days, the automobile is tricked out with all sorts of conveniences, designed to make driving a comfortable, media-rich experience. But there is a cognitive price to pay in operating these devices while keeping sufficient concentration on the road.
Does it have to be that way, though? Researchers from Microsoft Research Redmond aim to find out.