I love having deep conversations with fellow passengers while driving long distances. I've never felt like it distracted me while driving. I'd be curious to see any research to the contrary.

My hunch is that the moment some form of technology gets involved there is some form of interaction that has a detrimental impact. Maybe pushing a button or glancing at a screen or something else?

adults passengers can adapt the conversation to your needs, keeping quiet and even helping with decisions. screens, kids, dogs, people on the phone, etc can't do that