Not long ago, things like voice-commanded navigation, touch-screen displays and talking computer systems were more or less relegated to the realm of Star Trek. But as these technologies become more commonplace and less expensive, vehicles that you and I can afford will eventually come equipped with them.

As they trickle down from premium brands, mainstream manufacturers will be fighting for the right to claim “firsties” with cutting edge features in their rides. It’s without a doubt that these modern systems can make life easier- but they can also take ones attention away from the road. Helpful stuff, but a recipe for disaster if not used intelligently.

Navigation systems, for instance, can take the stress out of travelling in unfamiliar cities with a polite female voice guiding you to your destination. Trouble is, there’s a map on a screen- and if you don’t have a great deal of self-control, you’ll probably look at it, a lot. This is a handy feature that can become deadly in front of the wrong set of eyeballs.

Multi-function displays are another problem. Audi’s MMI and BMW’s i-Drive use a central joystick or dial to call up hundreds of functions to a single screen- taking away dozens of easier-to-use buttons and knobs. These systems can become second nature once learned, but they can also require navigating through sub-menus to change things like climate control settings or the radio station.

BMW even offers Google-Search equipped cars in various parts of the world. Thank goodness for lane departure warning beepers, pre-collision braking and that disclaimer about driving distracted as the system boots up.

The folks in Ottawa say that these sorts of features all fall into the category of ‘In Vehicle Telematics’ (IVT’s). Aftermarket parts are a different story, but standard equipment IVT devices are technically subject to the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Transport Canada says the potential for in-vehicle telematics to contribute to driver distraction is real and of serious concern. With distraction responsible for 20 to 50 percent of all collisions and cellular phone use increasing the likelihood of said collision by up to 400 percent, reducing distraction is a good thing.

Thing is, the Motor Vehicle Safety Act is about a billion years old and offers little if any provision for dealing with IVT’s. After all, distraction is a topic that defies being quantified or scientifically specified- so it’s hard for the feds to deal with. Nonetheless, they started addressing it about five years ago in an attempt at modernizing the regulatory system that surrounds telematic-related distraction.

It was a start- but far from a solution. Efforts led to the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which basically laid the foundation for discussion between industry and government to identify some alternatives to address the problem.

The main result of the MOU was a commitment by industry to incorporate a safety program into telematic design and development, adhering to industry-developed guidelines. In a nutshell, these are suggestions- and no solid regulations exist as of yet. Regulating driver distraction is still largely a work in progress- though carmakers are taking the matter seriously.

Handling a cell phone and driving is dangerous, so many automakers offer Bluetooth connectivity, allowing for voice-commanded phone calls as opposed to thumbing of the keypad in the middle of a lane change.

Hands free calling covers people who talk while driving, but not those who choose to read their tiny cell phone screens and type behind the wheel. I’m guilty of texting and driving too, though I quit cold turkey after nearly parking my car in the back of a transit bus.

Ford’s answer is a system called Sync, which synchronizes one’s iPod, cellular phone and other wireless gadgets through a central interface. It’s controlled through steering-wheel mounted buttons and voice command, and it can even read your incoming text messages to you, so you don’t try and read them while blowing a red light.

Sync was developed with help from Fords advanced VIRTTEX lab, which is dedicated to studying the effects of in-car electronics on a driver’s attention.

Most carmakers also voluntarily reduce or eliminate certain system functionalities until the car is parked, preventing drivers from doing such things as searching for a restaurant while speeding, or entering an address while trying to navigate an intersection.

Laura Heasman, a Public Relations expert at Honda explains “driver distraction is an issue that concerns consumers, safety advocates and government agencies. Honda Canada recognizes that we have a responsibility to remind our customers about the need to interact with the vehicle systems in a manner that minimizes risk to themselves and to other drivers. All disclaimers/warnings related to Navigation and Bluetooth operation while driving are developed on the sole effort of Honda Canada. There are no current government regulations.”