DEARBORN – A new Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study adds to the growing evidence that voice-controlled Ford’s SYNC® helps drivers minimize electronics-related distractions compared to manually operating hand-held cell phones and music players. 

The researchers found that participants took their eyes off the road an average of 10 times longer while manually selecting a song from their MP3 players compared to using SYNC’s voice commands.

The VTTI study, commissioned by Ford, will be released April 15 in Detroit at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress. 

The published findings follow recent remarks by U.S. Transportation Chief Ray LaHood who pointed to features including Ford’s SYNC, which enable voice-activated controls, as contributing to driver distraction. 

Click here to access a Ford news release that previews the VTTI study.