NHTSA Complaint #10573577 — 2013 ACURA RDX

OPERATION OF GPS VOICE ACTIVATION SYSTEM CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DRIVE DISTRACTION AND IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SPECIFICS OF PROBLEM IS LISTED BELOW IN COMMUNICATION WITH HONDA. THIS IS PROBLEM IS SO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MY WIFE AND I DON'T USE THE SYSTEM ANY MORE. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HONDA THEY WON'T RECOGNIZE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE PROBLEM SEE BELOW. [email protected] BACKGROUND: I CURRENTLY OWN TWO ACURA VEHICLES, A 2008 TL AND A 2013 RDX. I HAVE OWNED A TOTAL OF 4 ACURA VEHICLES AND THERE ARE CURRENTLY 5 HONDA VEHICLES IN MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY. I BELIEVE YOU MANUFACTURE AN SUPERIOR PRODUCT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHAT I CONSIDER A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE 2013 RDX. I HAVE AN ADVANCED AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM MIT AND CURRENTLY WORK IN THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ARENA. AND I SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY (NATIVE LANGUAGE). PROBLEM: TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM (PLACES MODE) WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION IS AT BEST USER UNFRIENDLY AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE ENGAGED IN SEVERAL TRAINING EXERCISES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER; ALL HAVE RESULTED IN FRUSTRATION AND FAILURE TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULT. (TRAINING CONSISTS OF TRYING TO USE THE SYSTEM ON A FAMILIAR ROUTE TO A KNOWN LOCATION.) AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS MODE, THE DRIVER MUST SPELL THE DESIRED LOCATION IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE SYSTEM. YESTERDAY, THE SYSTEM COULDN'T RECOGNIZE THE LETTER ?E,? THE MOST COMMONLY USED LETTER IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. MY ATTENTION WAS CONSTANTLY DIVERTED FROM THE ROAD TO TRYING TO MAKE AN AUDIO INPUT THAT THE SYSTEM COULD UNDERSTAND THEN LOOKING AT THE SCREEN TO SELECT A NUMBERED VERIFICATION OF THE LETTER. THIS SCENARIO TOOK ABOUT 10 MINUTES FOR A 6 LETTER WORD. UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR