Hands-free devices are NO safer than using a phone at the wheel because they still distract us and slow our reactions

They are sold as safe alternative to texting and emailing at the wheel. But hands-free kits can cause an 'extensive risk' to drivers and pedestrians - and may be no safer than using a phone.

New research has found that dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

The findings, from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in the U.S., show that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction times get slower and brain function is compromised.

Russ Martin, right, from the AAA Foundation is fitted with an electroencephalographic (EEG)-configured skull cap by Joel Cooper, research assistant professor of psychology at Utah University, left. The caps were fitted to drivers to measure their brainwaves and determine the risk posed by voice-activated technology

THE RISE AND RISKS OF 'EYES-FREE' TECHNOLOGY

The AAA Foundation's results confirm the recent findings from the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University.

In April, Texas researchers found that using voice to send text messages while driving - on software such as Apple's Siri - is just as dangerous as texting with fingers.

They found that both methods impacted driver response times equally - but that it often took voice recognition users longer to fix mistakes with their messages.

Apple recently added Eyes-Free technology to its latest iOS software.

Named iOS in the Car, Apple plans to be able to integrate phones with iOS 7 installed into the dashboards of cars. 

If a car is equipped with this technology, a user can connect their handset to the system and use your car's built-in display and controls.

The Siri Eyes-Free tool also lets users control this the system by voice so you can keep your eyes on the road.

This results in drivers scanning the road less and potentially not seeing items right in front of them, including pedestrians.

Cognitive distraction expert David Strayer and his research team at the University of Utah measured brainwaves, eye movement and other metrics to assess what happens to drivers’ mental workload when they attempt to do multiple things at once.

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Strayer fitted cars with mounted cameras that tracked the eye and head movement of drivers.

A Detection-Response-Task device known as the 'DRT' was used to record driver reaction time in response to triggers of red and green lights added to their field of vision.

A special electroencephalographic (EEG)-configured skull cap was also fitted to the drivers' head and was used to track the participants’ brain activity so that researchers could determine mental workload.

Russ Martin, pictured, had his brainwaves monitored while listening to his emails being read aloud to him from his phone. His mental workload increased and his reaction times were slower. Researchers from the AAA Foundation concluded that voice-activated technologies pose an 'extensive risk' to drivers

To measure the distractions, drivers were played an audio book.

There brainwaves were also measured while they talked on the phone and while they listened to telephone conversations.

The drivers were then monitored while voice-activated emails were played to them directly from their handset.

Researchers used the results of these tests to rate the levels of mental distraction drivers experienced while performing each task.

These levels of mental distraction were represented on a scale, similar to the Saffir-Simpson scale used for hurricanes.

Tasks such as listening to the radio ranked as a Category 1 level of distraction and were rated as a minimal risk.

Apple announced at its Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco that it is working with manufacturers to integrate its voice-activate tool Siri into car steering wheel. A BMW prototype, pictured, shows a Siri button built into the wheel while the handset sits in a cradle connected to the dashboard

Google Android software has a special 'car mode', shown here, which allows users to access commonly used functions via large buttons

Talking on a phone, both handheld and hands-free, resulted in a Category 2, moderate risk.

While listening and responding to in-vehicle, voice-activated email features increased mental workload and distraction levels of the drivers to a '3' and was classed as an extensive risk.

Some 35 percent of drivers admit to reading a text or email while driving in any given month, while 26 percent admitted to typing one, according to data from AAA.

'There is a looming public safety crisis ahead with the future proliferation of these in-vehicle technologies,' said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet.

'It’s time to consider limiting new and potentially dangerous mental  distractions built into cars, particularly with the common public misperception that hands-free means risk-free.'

AAA Foundation Presidents and CEO Peter Kissinger added: 'These findings reinforce previous research that hands-free is not risk-free.;

'Increased mental workload and cognitive distractions can lead to a type of tunnel vision or inattention blindness where motorists don’t see potential hazards right in front of them.'

As well as Apple's Siri, other voice-activated technology include the Joyride app that lets you play trivia games using your voice, while driving.

Apple's voice-activated Siri tool lets you send and listen to emails and texts from your phone

The Joyride app lets drivers play trivia games while driving and has a built-in media player

The Vlingo app is built into some Samsung handsets and is a Siri alternative

Voice-activated assistant app Vlingo is also built into some Samsung models.

Google's Android software has voice-controls and a special 'car mode' that allows users to access commonly used functions via large buttons.

Based on their research, the foundation is suggesting a number of initiatives to tackle the problem.

It wants to 'limit the use of voice-activated technology to core driving-related activities such as climate control, windshield wipers and cruise control, and to make sure these applications do not lead to increased safety risk caused by mental distraction while the car is moving.'

The AAA Foundation wants voice-to-text technologies such as using social media or listening to emails and text messages disabled.

'This study constitutes the most in-depth analysis to date of mental distractions behind the wheel. 

AAA is hopeful that it will serve as a stepping stone toward working in collaboration with automakers to promote our shared goal of improving safety for all drivers,' said Darbelnet.

'Specifically, these increasingly common voice-driven, in-vehicle technologies should be limited to use for just core driving tasks unless the activity results in no significant driver distraction.'