The 2015 Buick LaCrosse
Though there has been a proliferation in recent years of voice recognition software in new vehicles, it’s important for it to not just be included, but to be effective.
Based on the results of a recent study, the AAA Foundation for Safety and Edmunds have chosen the top systems that will help ensure drivers don’t get lost in the noise.
The Chevy Equinox and the Buick LaCrosse performed best in the testing of ten different voice-recognition systems in 2015 model year cars, the organizations recently confirmed. According to Edmunds, the Equinox and LaCrosse “had fewer errors, required less time on task, and were relatively easy to use.”
The software in both vehicles was praised for being less distracting than other competitor counterparts.
Photo credit: AAA
It was also noted that while drivers are operating vehicles, they can’t afford to devote much attention to using voice-recognition software, or it defeats the purpose of the hands-free technology.
Other models tested include the third-place Toyota 4Runner, followed by the Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Malibu, Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Altima, Chrysler 200C, and Hyundai Sonata. In a distant last place was the Mazda 3, which features software that the study found was as distracting as using social media while driving.
President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Peter Kissinger remains concerned about the potential for distraction in some of the poorly-rated models.
“The results indicate that motorists could miss stop signs, pedestrians, and other vehicles while the mind is readjusting to the task of driving,” Kissinger said.
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