Answer to Distraction Concerns Varied.(Intelligent Transportation Society of America conference information)(Brief Article)

Driver distraction as a concern for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies was a topic that arose repeatedly at the annual meeting of ITS America (400 Virginia Ave., SW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024; Tel: 202/484-4542, Fax: 202/484-3483; Website: www.itsa.org) in Miami. Currently, legislator and press interest is focused on cellular phones; however, telematic systems will also be targets.

Opinions on driver distraction within the industry range from, "it isn't a problem," to "it's a problem that can be solved with voice-activated control." Gerald Conover of Ford Motor Company (1 America Rd., Dearborn, MI 48126; Tel: 313/337-3258, Fax: 313/594-2105; …