Effects of smartphone based advanced driver assistance system on distracted driving behavior: A simulator study

Nowadays smartphone distractions are frequently encountered while driving and are causing an increasing number of crashes. A method to prevent them is related to the use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) which ensures that the driver's attention will return to the road when he/she is tempted to use a smartphone. An experimental study based on a driving simulator was conducted in order to investigate the influence of an in-vehicle smartphone based ADAS on the drivers' behavior when they are distracted by social networking applications. A number of 17 participants performed three scenarios consisting in driving with and without distraction factors related to various Facebook tasks with and without ADAS notifications. The statistical analysis shows that the use of the ADAS application help in reducing driving infractions on average by 43.43% compared to the situation in which the driver does not use it. •The number of driving infractions reduced on average by 43.43% while using the ADAS.•The ADAS ensures that the driver's attention will return to the traffic scene.•The participants think they have been helped by the ADAS application during tests.•The smartphone based ADAS improves the driver's behavior during distraction activity.•The drivers were focused more to the traffic scene while receiving ADAS alerts.