Feds Want Your Thoughts on Car Voice Commands
Published Date: 7/23/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to study how voice command systems in cars might distract drivers and affect their focus. They’re asking the public to share thoughts on this info collection by August 24, 2026. This research could help make driving safer without adding extra paperwork for drivers or car makers.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Recruitment limited to Torrance-area drivers
The study will recruit individuals aged 18 to 70 from Torrance, California and surrounding areas and from Dynamic Research, Inc.'s participant database; businesses are ineligible. NHTSA expects 1,330 respondents to the eligibility questionnaire and a final analytic sample of 144 participants (24 per VCI system).
Time and participation burden for volunteers
If you participate, you must be able to attend a 2.5-hour study session and complete pre-study forms; the agency estimates a total of 637 burden hours across respondents. NHTSA expects 1,330 people to respond to screening, 178 to begin on-site procedures, and a final dataset of 144 participants.
Medical and other eligibility exclusions
To participate you must meet several health and status requirements: be 18–70 years old, fluent in English, have a valid driver’s license, drive a predefined number of miles per year, not be pregnant, have had no seizures in the past six months, not be using sedatives or psychotropic medications, be able to abstain from alcohol and recreational/illicit substances for 12 hours before the session, and require no special driving equipment. These rules are used to screen potential participants for safety and data quality.
Requirement to provide SSN or TIN and privacy notices
Participants must provide a valid Social Security number or tax identification number for participation records, and the study provides privacy notices (including California-specific privacy information).
Voluntary participation with compensation promised
Participation is voluntary and there are no costs beyond time and travel; NHTSA says travel costs are minimal and expected to be offset by compensation provided to participants. The information collection is one-time and tied to a simulator study comparing six voice command systems.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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