Software Prevents Talking And Driving
Posted on: Tuesday, 14 October 2008, 08:25 CDT
Aegis Mobility, a Canadian software business, announced on Monday that it has created software called DriveAssist that will distinguish if a cell phone is traveling at car speeds. When this happens, the software alerts the cellular network, allowing it to hold calls and text messages until the drive is complete.
This is a relief to David Teater, whose 12-year-old son, Joe, was killed in 2004 by a driver who was talking on a cell phone.
Teater says he tried to cut back on his own habit of driving and talking as a result. It was harder than he thought.
"You have to remember to turn the phone off ... which you never remember to do. Or you have to ignore a ringing phone, which is incredibly hard," Teater said. "We've been conditioned our entire lives to answer ringing phones."
Teater is now an advocate for stopping what he calls "driving while distracted," and now, he's involved with a corporation with a technology that changes things.
The software does not entirely obstruct incoming calls. Callers hear a message notifying them that the person they are calling is driving. The caller can choose to leave an emergency voice mail. The voicemail is put through right away.
Several states have introduced laws that ban talking on a cell phone while driving. However, they do permit the use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooth headsets. On the other hand, studies have indicated that hands-free devices are just as dangerous.
It seems that it is the disruption of dialing and talking that is the most hazardous.
A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered that dialing and talking on the phone caused 7 percent of crashes and near-crashes in 2006.
41,059 people passed away in traffic accidents just last year.
Aegis' software will operate on phones with Windows Mobile software, and Symbian software, that is used in phones like Nokia and Sony Ericsson. It uses the phone's Global Positioning System chip to sense motion, assisted in part by the cell-tower signal.
The software is moderated through a web site. For example, parents can be alerted if their kids override the motion-sensing aspect to show that they're riding in car instead of driving.
In order to work the software must be carried by the cellular company. The company is hoping to announce to the public next year that the software is accessible for $10 to $20 per month for a family plan.
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Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
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