While Google Glass gives people behind the wheel the option of using head movements and voice commands to respond to text messages, texting with the technology still causes distracted driving, researchers have found.
The study by the University of Central Florida is the first scientific look at using Google Glass to text while driving.
Researchers also found that texting Glass users outperformed smartphone users when regaining control of their vehicles after a traffic incident.
"Texting with either a smartphone or Glass will cause distraction and should be avoided while driving," said UCF researcher Ben Sawyer.
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"As distractive influences threaten to become more common and numerous in drivers' lives, we find the limited benefits provided by Glass a hopeful sign of technological solutions to come," Sawyer added.
Sawyer and his team set up the experiment with 40 twentysomethings. Each drove in a car simulator with either Glass or a smartphone and was forced to react to a vehicle ahead slamming on its brakes.
Those using Glass were no better at hitting their brakes in time, but after their close call returned to driving normally more quickly.
"While Glass-using drivers demonstrated some areas of improved performance in recovering from the brake event, the device did not improve their response to the event itself," Sawyer said.
"More importantly, for every measure we recorded, messaging with either device negatively impacted driving performance.
"Compared to those just driving, multitaskers reacted more slowly, preserved less headway during the brake event, and subsequently adopted greater following distances," he said.