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Distracted Driving Dev Anticipates iPhone OS 4 Release
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So let me get this straight. This app will route phone calls to voicemail and to other numbers while you're driving so that you won't get distracted.
It will then display adverts using iAds. Yeah because that's not distracting at all is it?
Not the developer that's making the claims. It's the National Safety Council. The white paper with all of the supporting research is linked in the article.
They are just playing with the idea of doing iAds. No final decision has been made.
I don't actually believe the studies that claim hands free is as dangerous as physically hold and chatting on a phone. The probably focused on some area such as cognitive load while in conversation and applied it to a driving scenario and ignored physical response times.
I know myself, if I'm holding a phone and driving I'm seriously restricted. Response times are terrible, not the case with hands free.
I know myself, if I'm holding a phone and driving I'm seriously restricted. Response times are terrible, not the case with hands free.
Talking to anyone while driving is distracting, but it's much less a problem if the person in physically in the car. You are also distracted talking to another person in the car, but they are there too, and they are also paying attention to the road somewhat. They are also paying attention to you and your body language. They can tell when you need to focus or react to something on the road and to stop talking and let you drive. They can say things like "watch out, he's slowing down ahead of you" when they realize you are busy talking to them and not paying full attention. A person you talk to on the phone cannot do any of these things, and will keep talking regardless of what is happening in your vehicle, thus causing a bigger distraction.
The problem with using the phone while driving is not just about having your hands occupied. A large part of your brain is occupied too. The human brain is simply NOT capable of holding a conversation while gathering just as much information about the road ahead compared to when it is 100% focused on driving. That's what the studies are about. Have you ever missed your freeway exit while talking to someone on your hands free? How did that happen?
Your logic is way off an studies have proven that talking on a hands free headset is not even close to talking to someone who's a passanger in the car. You see when that other car lurches from the right of your car the passanger generally instantly shuts up and reacts to the near collision thus allerting you to it and allowing you to avoid it. But the person on the other end of a hands free conversation doesn't see what's going on around you and happily keeps chatting away keeping you distracted while you crash.
Having a passenger in the car actually reduces accidents because unlike people on the phone they react to what's happening around you. They stop talking at certain pertanent times and even give reactions that assist you. Talking on the phone, hands free or not, is a distraction and has been verified in test after test to cause a decreased ability to drive.
I agree that even handsfree devices provide distraction while driving, but to say they have absolutely no safety benefit reeks of a badly designed scientific study. It doesn't take a scientific study to know that having to reach for a phone and hold it to your ear is MORE dangerous than using a handsfree device. Ever try checking your blindspot or looking both ways with a phone to your ear? Ever tried making evasive maneuvers with only one hand? I have no doubt that talking handsfree is dangerous in certain situations, but if someone tells me it's no safer than talking with a phone to your ear, I haves serious doubts about the basis of their argument; which in this case is ONE NSB study.
We definitely need legislation to change the way we drive. I don't want someone I care about getting killed by a driver who chooses to talk on a cell phone and isn't paying attention. Sure, in a perfect world people should be able to make these common sense decisions on their own, but we live in a world full of idiots. Laws protecting people from other people, and even from themselves, are vitally important to public safety.
Nobody else seems put off by the fact that these developers are charging 4.95 PER MONTH simply to use the software?!?!!?
What exactly would justify that kind of charge? Do they provide some kind of cellular tower technology or satellite telemetry or some other ongoing 'utility' that justifies a ongoing MONTHLY fee? This isn't Cable TV, HBO, Netflix or even Hulu we're talking about... nor is it roadside assistance or alarm system monitoring or any other technology that justifies an ongoing cost... Even on-star which I feel is about as close to highway robbery (lol) as you can get can justify their monthly fee since the cost of keeping a satellite in the sky and or leasing satellite time (or cellular frequency) comes at a cost.
These guys just 'feel like charging it?'...
What next?
Lightbulb companies charging .25 per month for continuing to operate?
Rechargeable batteries charging .50 per 'fill-up' (using your own electricity)
Glasses charging .05 per 8 fluid ounces of liquid put in them?
Maybe I'm missing something and if I am then please ignore this silly rant.. but charging a monthly fee for a standalone item seems all but absurd to me.
What exactly would justify that kind of charge? Do they provide some kind of cellular tower technology or satellite telemetry or some other ongoing 'utility' that justifies a ongoing MONTHLY fee? This isn't Cable TV, HBO, Netflix or even Hulu we're talking about... nor is it roadside assistance or alarm system monitoring or any other technology that justifies an ongoing cost... Even on-star which I feel is about as close to highway robbery (lol) as you can get can justify their monthly fee since the cost of keeping a satellite in the sky and or leasing satellite time (or cellular frequency) comes at a cost.
These guys just 'feel like charging it?'...
What next?
Lightbulb companies charging .25 per month for continuing to operate?
Rechargeable batteries charging .50 per 'fill-up' (using your own electricity)
Glasses charging .05 per 8 fluid ounces of liquid put in them?
Maybe I'm missing something and if I am then please ignore this silly rant.. but charging a monthly fee for a standalone item seems all but absurd to me.
I spend about 2 1/2 hrs commuting daily through LA Traffic and I find it funny how here in CA, we have a cell phone law that didn't do anything except make people move the headset from their ear about 3 inches down to their mouth and put it on speakerphone.
The fines are negligible, cops don't enforce it enough, most people erroneously think as long as it's on speakerphone it's legal, and more times than I can remember, when someone swerves into my lane, he's palming a phone at his chin and doesn't realize what he just did.
And I use a handsfree Blue Ant speaker when I drive. Besides the fact it's more comfortable, there's a big difference. Those studies that claim handsfree doesn't do anything are limited because they only use one criteria to determine danger and that's your conscious focus. Yet the same loss of focus happens when people listen to the radio, have kids in the car, are daydreaming, etc.
Personally I've noticed that people who cradle a phone while driving are less likely to check their blind spots (probably because it's not comfortable with your phone in the way), which is why I always get swerved on. Couple that with the fact a part of their peripheral vision is blocked by their phone and the hand holding it and they're doing all maneuvers with one hand that's how you get T-Boned.
The fines are negligible, cops don't enforce it enough, most people erroneously think as long as it's on speakerphone it's legal, and more times than I can remember, when someone swerves into my lane, he's palming a phone at his chin and doesn't realize what he just did.
And I use a handsfree Blue Ant speaker when I drive. Besides the fact it's more comfortable, there's a big difference. Those studies that claim handsfree doesn't do anything are limited because they only use one criteria to determine danger and that's your conscious focus. Yet the same loss of focus happens when people listen to the radio, have kids in the car, are daydreaming, etc.
Personally I've noticed that people who cradle a phone while driving are less likely to check their blind spots (probably because it's not comfortable with your phone in the way), which is why I always get swerved on. Couple that with the fact a part of their peripheral vision is blocked by their phone and the hand holding it and they're doing all maneuvers with one hand that's how you get T-Boned.
Best post.
There's temptation and risks everywhere on the road and in our lives. All of them involve choices. As long as we have some discipline and respect for ourselves and our fellow motorists there's no need for apps like this.
Even if it works, the app needs to be open and running. That means if someone doesn't want to use it, then can just SHUT IT OFF. This solution is kind of useless, as it depends on the user as much as the manual method does.
You have some fair points, however some Auto insurance companies give discounts of 3-5% if you can prove that you utilize this technology (Nationwide is one of them). That pretty much pays for the app right there.
As always, I take slight issue with these kinds of reports, mainly...
"Recent research by the National Safety Council on distracted driving has shown that cell phone usage when driving can cause a driver to miss up to 50% of the information collected in their driving environment, and that hands-free cell phones do not provide any safety benefit when driving."
The distinction is clear to me as a self aware, self analyzing, serious driver and user of electronic equipment, that devices effect you in at least two major ways:
1. Devices cause you to take your eyes off the road, thus increasing your reaction time by a very large margin.
2. Lower the priority of additional information that might be gathered while driving, which is what this report refers to.
The problem with #2 is that your brain prioritizes the information it receives. While you may not remember all the road details as you are talking on a phone, your brain will certainly recognize a car on a collision course, and raise it to the top of the priority queue. This is why I am happy to talk while driving the open desert, because there isn't any important "extra" information to lose. Conversely, I avoid talking on the cell phone while driving city streets while trying to find a place I've never been to before, because I need as much extra information as I can get in order to find where I'm going. Note that I don't do this to avoid a wreck, I do it so that I can find where I'm going.
And as always, a persons ability to priority track and information track varies person to person by a large degree.
However if you are looking down at your lap because you are texting someone, no amount of reflexes, fast thinking, or good driving will save you from an accident you never see coming.
"Recent research by the National Safety Council on distracted driving has shown that cell phone usage when driving can cause a driver to miss up to 50% of the information collected in their driving environment, and that hands-free cell phones do not provide any safety benefit when driving."
The distinction is clear to me as a self aware, self analyzing, serious driver and user of electronic equipment, that devices effect you in at least two major ways:
1. Devices cause you to take your eyes off the road, thus increasing your reaction time by a very large margin.
2. Lower the priority of additional information that might be gathered while driving, which is what this report refers to.
The problem with #2 is that your brain prioritizes the information it receives. While you may not remember all the road details as you are talking on a phone, your brain will certainly recognize a car on a collision course, and raise it to the top of the priority queue. This is why I am happy to talk while driving the open desert, because there isn't any important "extra" information to lose. Conversely, I avoid talking on the cell phone while driving city streets while trying to find a place I've never been to before, because I need as much extra information as I can get in order to find where I'm going. Note that I don't do this to avoid a wreck, I do it so that I can find where I'm going.
And as always, a persons ability to priority track and information track varies person to person by a large degree.
However if you are looking down at your lap because you are texting someone, no amount of reflexes, fast thinking, or good driving will save you from an accident you never see coming.
Just because an insurance discount might be awarded.. I still don't see how that in any way shape or form justifies them in charging a monthly fee for a 'one shot' piece of software - especially something as basic as this.
If I get 'etched glass' my insurance company may provide a discount too however the people doing the etched glass aren't charing me a monthly fee. If my car has side-impact airbags I too might see a reduced fee in my insurance but again I'm not paying a monthly fee for them... Same with (most) car alarms... In all cases these are things that insurance may give you special discounts on but none of them keep putting a hand in your wallet on the 1st of every month.
- Live Traffic Info (sure)
- Photo-enabled Traffic Warnings (sure)
- Alternate side of the street parking status (yea okay)
All of those things require a modicum of effort to keep said information up to date (current) so yes a monthly fee is totally understandable and if the people providing those apps/services fall down on the job and their data is often stale then you simply cancel the service.
This is a standalone piece of software and doesn't get any 'backend support / information' that the developer must license or manually update. They are charging a monthly fee 'just because they wanna see if they can get away with it' and that sucks.
It's just about as disgusting as that 'find my family' service AT&T is trying to sell... They are asking people to PAY 14.99 PER MONTH (this is what people pay for HBO) to use a service that by all accounts is available FREE on the internet. Yes with the internet service I believe it ONLY works with iPhones and not 'any phone' and I guess it sure HELPS that APPLE (or is it AT&T) doesn't allow cellular connections to utilize the FREE internet service. Cough **collusion** Cough!
This is another money grab with ALMOST zero maintenance cost. So okay even THIS service which I find priced way too high is still more worthy to charge a monthly fee ... since they do provide (access to) backend services... The fact is those 'location services' are there ANYWAY so AT&T is just charging you a fee to 'peek' at them.
I am totally for this app...I would use it to protect myself from myself. However, I would not want the app to disable phone calls. I use a completely hands free solution in my car and the reason is so I can communicate while underway. I don't feel that I am distracted when talking to someone over handsfree and I feel that if I am in a situation in which I need to end the call, I have enough discipline to hit the end call button on my wheel (or pull off somewhere and finish it if it is pressing).
Not a problem... for only $6.99 MORE PER MONTH they will let you reactivate specific things that your are paying them $4.99 PER MONTH to deactivate.
Here's how I rank the level of danger from distraction, from highest to lowest:
#4 is why iPods ought to be directly connected to the stereo so it's just like a radio station, not something you control separately with the iPod interface.
#5 can be fixed with rope and duct tape; just kidding.
I know that #6 distracts me; is that just me or does it happen to others too?
Some beginning drivers learn to leave the music off until they've had more driving practice, because even that can be a minor distraction, but we're all pretty much willing to live with the slight risk that we'll tap our foot on the accelerator in time to the music.
Distracted drivers are the reason I no longer ride my bicycle to work; too many near misses with drivers talking on the phone.
- Spider coming down a thread from the visor, right in front of your face.
- Holding a phone.
- Hands-free call.
- Fumbling with an iPod to change your playlist.
- Unruly kids in the car.
- Listening to my passenger talking by phone to someone I know.
- Trying to read a written or printed map.
- Focusing on a mounted GPS display.
- Listening to a GPS system speak.
- Conversation with someone in the car.
- Radio/CD/iPod already playing.
#4 is why iPods ought to be directly connected to the stereo so it's just like a radio station, not something you control separately with the iPod interface.
#5 can be fixed with rope and duct tape; just kidding.
I know that #6 distracts me; is that just me or does it happen to others too?
Some beginning drivers learn to leave the music off until they've had more driving practice, because even that can be a minor distraction, but we're all pretty much willing to live with the slight risk that we'll tap our foot on the accelerator in time to the music.
Distracted drivers are the reason I no longer ride my bicycle to work; too many near misses with drivers talking on the phone.
How's about...
Eating finger foods/one-at-a-time-foods... Fries, chips, etc.
Opening a stick of gum
Eating a meal... Hamburger, 'Jersey Breakfast' (buttered roll), etc, etc.
Listening to 'talk radio/sports show' that might get you riled-up...
Drinking cold beverage
Drinking HOT beverage
Opening/searching a purse
Putting Makeup On
Shaving
Smoking
I'm sure these all rank 'fairly high' in the distracted driving department...
Now what about things you KNOW they'll never even address
Stationary Billboards
Mobile Billboards (all over the streets of NYC) ANNOYING AS HELL!
Distracting / Busy highway store signs / balloons / GORILLAS* / searchlights / etc
Skywriters
Somehow I don't see them going after these distractions anytime soon...
*I kid you not, a business located on a busy 50+MPH highway had a 'super sale', 'grand opening' or something and had 4 people dressed up in black gorilla costumes and were waving at the cars passing by... trying to get people to notice... result traffic as far as the eye can see and lots of people with pent-up road rage... Uhh, I'd image... :lol:
Sounds exactly like an option Apple will build into a future iPhone. Reminiscent of the max volume control on iPods. Would be a great feature for SJ to tout on stage, something no other phone has "built in". Simple addition to the Settings panel, what is allowed/disallowed when traveling at driving speeds.
Nice idea izup, but I predict you'll be Soundjammed by
!!
Nice idea izup, but I predict you'll be Soundjammed by
!!