The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has announced its intention to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection focused on drive-mode design best practices. Published in the Federal Register on February 11, 2026, this notice invites public comments by April 13, 2026, on a one-time voluntary experiment involving 96 licensed drivers. The study aims to compare how different drive-mode implementations on mobile phones affect driver attention and performance against standard interfaces. This initiative addresses the ongoing issue of driver distraction, which NHTSA data indicates claims thousands of lives each year. By examining these interfaces, NHTSA seeks to generate evidence-based recommendations for safer mobile phone use while driving, potentially reducing crash risks associated with visual-manual distractions.
Background on Driver Distraction and NHTSA's Efforts
Driver distraction has long been a critical safety concern in the United States. According to NHTSA's 2024 report, 'Distracted Driving in 2022' (Report No. DOT HS 813 559), distractions contribute to thousands of fatalities annually. NHTSA has responded with multifaceted strategies, including public campaigns like 'Put the Phone Away or Pay' and high-visibility enforcement evaluations, as detailed in a 2015 study (Report No. DOT HS 812 108). A cornerstone of these efforts is the Visual-Manual NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines, first outlined in 2013 (Federal Register Vol. 78, No. 81) and updated in 2014 (Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 179). These guidelines set protocols for measuring distractions from in-vehicle electronic devices, emphasizing the risks of visual-manual interactions.
In 2016, NHTSA proposed extending these guidelines to portable and aftermarket devices (Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 233), advocating for smartphone integration with vehicle systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For unpaired phones, the agency promoted 'drive mode' as a simplified interface to limit functionality and enhance safety during driving. This concept was further discussed at NHTSA's Distraction Action Forum in August 2024. The current notice builds directly on this foundation, aiming to investigate variations in drive-mode designs and their compliance with existing guidelines.
Details of the Proposed Study
The proposed information collection, titled 'Drive-Mode Design Best Practices,' involves recruiting 300 potential participants from the Phoenix, Arizona area to screen for 96 eligible drivers aged 18 to 60, with equal numbers of males and females. NHTSA estimates screening 300 individuals to yield up to 96 participants, accounting for attrition, with a goal of 36 per experiment component. The study includes two main parts: a test track experiment and a cones course experiment, each involving tasks performed on mobile phones.
In the test track component, participants will engage in phone tasks while stationary, wearing occlusion glasses to simulate glances, and driving on a track. The cones course involves navigating obstacles while performing tasks. Data collection methods include experimenter observations, GoPro cameras for monitoring the driver and environment, and Ergoneers Dikablis Glasses X for tracking eye movements, pupil diameter, and blinks. NHTSA forms (2112 for screening, 2113 and 2115 for consent, 2114 for study drives) will facilitate the process. The agency estimates a total burden of 331 hours, with annual estimates at 111 hours, and compensates participants at $375 for the test track and $300 for the cones course to ensure recruitment.
This research seeks to answer key questions, such as how drive modes alter interfaces and functionality compared to standard operations, the variability across implementations, compliance with NHTSA guidelines, and factors influencing user acceptance. As stated in the notice, 'This collection will be used to generate evidence-based best practices for the design of future drive mode applications and functionalities for mobile phones operating independently of in-vehicle systems.'
Key Players and Legal Framework
NHTSA, under the Department of Transportation, leads this initiative, with Cem Hatipoglu, Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research, signing the notice. The effort complies with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), requiring public comment and OMB approval for information collections. Public input is solicited on necessity, burden accuracy, information quality, and minimization strategies, as per 5 CFR 1320.8(d).
Relevant precedents include NHTSA's 2013 and 2016 guidelines, which established test protocols for distraction measurement. Studies like the 2013 report on cell phone impacts (Report No. DOT HS 811 757) and the 2006 analysis of inattention risks (Report No. DOT HS 810 594) provide foundational data. Political forces include ongoing federal emphasis on road safety, with NHTSA's mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and economic losses.
Potential Implications and Perspectives
Short-term implications include gathering data to refine drive-mode designs, potentially leading to voluntary industry adoption of best practices. Long-term, this could influence regulatory updates, encouraging safer mobile interfaces and reducing distraction-related incidents. Safety advocates, such as those referenced in NHTSA's forums, may view this as a positive step toward evidence-based policies. Automotive manufacturers and tech suppliers might appreciate the insights for product development but could raise concerns about study burdens or implications for innovation.
Regulators and researchers may see it as advancing compliance with distraction guidelines, while drivers' rights groups might emphasize voluntary participation and privacy protections, as outlined in the notice's Privacy Act statement (Federal Register, April 11, 2000, 65 FR 19477-78). No single perspective dominates, but the study's focus on unpaired phones addresses a gap in integrated systems.
Forward-Looking Considerations
This notice marks a key step in NHTSA's distraction research agenda. Following the comment period, OMB review could lead to study approval within three years, culminating in a technical report for public access via the National Transportation Library. Stakeholders, including manufacturers and advocates, may engage in ongoing debates about balancing safety with technological advancement.
