Distracting Sat Navs

Monday, 7. December 2009

Shell has shaken up car manufacturers by insisting that all cars supplied into their 14,000 vehicle fleet must have any fitted Sat Nav’s disabled whilst the car is in motion in the same way that DVD players, fitted into the dashboard of some cars, are disabled when the car is in motion. Audible instructions would still be activated. Shell is well known for placing health and safety high on its corporate agenda and reached this decision as a result of workshops with their safety teams last year. Some manufacturers have already said that they would comply with Shell’s request whilst others are still considering the costs and feasibility. Shell is hoping that other large fleets would follow their lead in order to put pressure on the manufacturers but the main leasing companies seem sceptical, as one pointed out the Shell initiative could result in a massive following or ‘they may be pushing water uphill.’ The Shell stance is backed up by statistical findings by the RAC who found that over a third of motorists questioned said that they had been seriously distracted whilst driving with 40% of these saying that they were distracted by their Sat Nav. Claus-Peter Kruger of Royal Dutch Shell said satellite navigation has major benefits – including reducing emissions – but there was no need for the screen to be operational when the car was moving. Well Mr Claus-Peter Kruger, I don’t know what sort of sat nav systems you’ve used that would enable you to easily navigate without the screen aid to help but I’ve yet to find one and I certainly find it far less distracting than driving around London with my A-Z on the passenger seat trying to read it whilst manoeuvring around Piccadilly Circus. I find other drivers very distracting, get shot of them and I would be very happy! By Graham Hill