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How about putting a status notification while driving, so people texting you know that you can't (or shouldn't) respond, and they will understand. Similarly, it will make it less cool to text while driving because people can see your status of "driving". They won't necessarily know if you're using voice typing, though.
 
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Isn't it illegal to use a phone while driving in the US? It is where I'm from anyway, and I doubt a feature like this would make the law change. I read somewhere that texting while driving is far more likely to cause an accident than drinking and driving, which isn't surprising at all.

Unless "driver mode" turns your phone off completely, I can't see this being a good idea. The whole point of not using your phone while driving is to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. I can't think of anything, no matter how big or "auto scrolling" it is, that would be as safe as just not holding and using a phone while driving whatsoever.
 
I would love if there was a way Apple could work with state govts to issue e-licenses for Wallet so that you can leave your house with only your phone and manage just fine

What happens when your phone dies? You would not have ID for driving. Sure they could look you up but they can with normal DL also.
 
I would only accept limitations in this area if they absolutely only applied to the driver and not any passengers. But I don't see how that can happen.

One possible way for the phone to tell if you're the driver:

I think Apple got a patent on a mode which used the back camera to see if there was a steering wheel in front of you. :eek:

And once we start telling people where they can use their phones, what is next? Can't use them at the theater, not at political rallies (at least not Trump rallies), not in the presence of the police, not unless you are a certain age. Where does it stop?

More like where it should start, at least as far as social interactions go.

Common politeness in the old days would've stopped people from using these things in theaters, at dinner, in church, etc.
 
Or you know, do what a lot of sane places have done and ban using them while driving.
 
Google recently started allowing Android Auto mode directly on the phone. Apple just needs to do the same with CarPlay and they'd be good.
This is not only the easiest solution, but it allows for choice. Perhaps have it automatically change to driving mode when you have it synced to your car by default, with an option to disable the car mode if you'd like.
 
Wow. Almost 100% of posters can't wait to let the government force crappy software and anti-features into their $800 phones.
 
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One is a touch screen that requires you to look away, the other is tactile switch you operate while you focus on the road. The diffeeence is obvious.
I had a Citroen hire car a couple of weeks ago, the controls were one big touch screen, with nothing tactile at all. It was dreadful, I had to look at every single control each time ai wanted to make an adjustment,andhavingto switch between modes felt dangerous while driving.
 
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I agree it's a problem. I see distracted drivers every day. In dense metro areas all you have to do is look around and you'll see a significant percentage of drivers on their phones. It scares me as much as any drink driver.

I think some kind of cooperation between the car and the phone would be required to implement it effectively so it doesn't prevent passengers from using their phone. Some kind of face scan camera looking at the driver to link to his phone and put it in driving mode while driving. You just can't wish the problem away by claiming drivers should be responsible. They've already demonstrated that they are not.
 
That isn't working.
Has done a good job here in Ontario

But it does come down to how well it's enforced and what the punishment is.

When the fine was only $100 it didn't have much effect, but when they implemented zero tolerance and 300$ fine, things changed


Though, there are always going to be idiots who get someone killed doing something reckless and stupid, no matter how hard we try to stop them.

Can't fix stupid, and not matter how idiot proof we make these things, the universe just keeps creating better idiots
 
Has done a good job here in Ontario

But it does come down to how well it's enforced and what the punishment is.

When the fine was only $100 it didn't have much effect, but when they implemented zero tolerance and 300$ fine, things changed


Though, there are always going to be idiots who get someone killed doing something reckless and stupid, no matter how hard we try to stop them.

Can't fix stupid, and not matter how idiot proof we make these things, the universe just keeps creating better idiots
From my experience, here in San Jose where there are fines for using a handheld while driving, it doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent. Perhaps if the consequences were more severe it might have an effect, but even then, there is virtually no enforcement around here. It might seem hopeless but that doesn't mean it's not worth trying something.
 
From my experience, here in San Jose where there are fines for using a handheld while driving, it doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent. Perhaps if the consequences were more severe it might have an effect, but even then, there is virtually no enforcement around here. It might seem hopeless but that doesn't mean it's not worth trying something.

Well, it helps that it's considered a moving vehicle violation and will cause the drivers insurance rates to go up here as well. Just to add to the ticket cost. It might even get demerit points

Just checked, they increased the penalties again last year.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/distracted-driving

Let's just say, ouch! That sort of ticket will result in several hundred dollars in increased insurance costs alone.

And a cop doesn't have to see you using it. Even holding a device is ticketed

Plus we're getting commercials like these ones that I find quite effective for a change
 
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How would you automatically differentiate between a driver and a passenger device? Ultimately the only real solution is to get rid of human drivers all together.
You could measure the distance from the steering wheel. You could also automatically video what's going on while in a moving car, and store that video away undeletable if there is a sudden stop indicating a crash.
 
It is illegal in the UK to use a phone whilst driving. The US should make this law as well.

Adding a "driver mode" will simply encourage phone use whilst driving.

I would argue a driver mode would reduce it. Say driver mode showed you the most relevant apps only (i.e. navigation / music etc, and blocked notifications such as texts/emails from popping) then I can definitely see myself being less distracted, right now a notification popping definitely distracts me for a split second while navigating with maps, yes you can go into do not disturb and I do for trips when I remember to set it but it would be good to also have overly large touch points to easily hit (pause/next track/alternate route etc).
 
You certainly will be punished (or killed !) if some distracted driver t-bones the passenger side of the car in which you are riding. Also, there is some evidence that passengers who are watching the road are less likely to distract the driver away from the road just when the traffic or something in front of the car looks dangerous.

Less than 20 years ago, nobody had smart phones in cars. They were not being punished for not having them.

Sure, lets lock everyone in a padded room and then only the government minders can harm us. Life is a risk, live it or not, but don't force me to live it your way.
 
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You realize they're not asking to make using your phone in the car easier.
They're asking to make the phone essentially lock you out during driving.
This is now how I understood it. It sounds like they want to lock you out of say text messages and emails, safari and twitter. But you'd be able to access a 'driver friendly' UI, probably with just the maps/spotify/music sort of apps in big, easy to hit icons.

Therefore you aren't distracted by notifications popping, you can't even be tempted as the phone wouldn't show them in this hypothetical mode, but you can still reach your desired destination smoothly.
 
Deactivate all functionality except phone calls while the phone detected a certain speed. Now use camera/sensor to determine if the user is a passenger or driver.
Other than that we can put so many laws even more stricter laws. A law breaker always a law breaker. You can ban guns but a criminal will find a way to get one or kill somebody. Even stealing is already a crime and more security cameras everywhere but it's not going to stop them. I guess we cannot fix stupidity no matter what.
 
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Common politeness in the old days would've stopped people from using these things in theaters, at dinner, in church, etc.

I agree, instead today we have people raging about things that are noting more than political correctness and completing ignoring common politeness and tolerance.

The simple fact is that we cannot stop car wrecks, accidents and death with regulations and restrictions, no matter how good intentioned they seem. But the government will use these good intentions to attempt to control everything if we let them. This is the real risk.
 
All life is a risk, it is not up to you to decide.

Are you saying your right to a convenience of using your phone should trump that of life?

Sorry, the very purpose of governance is to balance public safety to that of individual privilege.

In the case of phones, using one while driving has proven to have dramatic, and measurable safety risk, and one that has caused the deaths of thousands already.

Sorry, your privilege of using a gadget doesn't out weigh the right to public safety on publicly operated throughfares.

Thinking otherwise is pure selfish and arrogant,

So I really hope I misinterpreted what you were saying
 
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