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Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

mobile.nytimes.com

31–40 of 75 posts

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#31
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We can make organ donation an opt-out checkbox.

i dont see why you would not want to be an organ donor, body is just a rental anyway?

I think the parents point is that we have seen in some places (Netherlands?) that a dramatic increase in organ donors happened when they switched from opt-in to opt-out.

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#32
post #8

What if you are just a passenger in the car? How will they determine this?

A good question. From the article, one of the things the guidelines call for is that manufacturers "develop technology to identify when the devices are being used by a driver while driving. That would ensure the limits are placed on drivers and not other vehicle occupants." I bet that if the handset manufacturers were to work with the car manufacturers, they could pretty easily locate the phone to a foot or so with m…

Really? Deploy location technology inside a car just to enforce a "driver mode"? A market that consistently rejects tech to enforce speed limits isn't going to accept technology to limit app use in cars. All it will take is one story of someone trapped inside a crashed/stuck car being unable to call for help, or unable to text for help, and nobody will dare to so disable phones.

I cannot wait to see that tech also be deployed to enforce "airplane mode 2.0" so a voice can break in to my music to inform me about the latest skymall deals.

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#33

Serious question, in the event that we don't have fatalities from auto accidents, where will the organ donations come from? Will it be a good push for stem cell technology?

You answered your own question. By the time we see a serious drop in auto fatalities because of mass adoption of Autonomous vehicles, Id imagine we'll be able to 3D print organs that wont encounter rejection. Alternatively, you could always take a medical holiday to China.

This has already happened there has been a huge decline in available donor organs due to reduced road fatalities, especially the kind that still leave organs viable for harvesting.

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#34

What if you are just a passenger in the car? How will they determine this?

If the phone is connected to a car by Bluetooth or USB, assume it's the driver's. If you get it wrong, it's just a minor inconvenience (unplug if you really need to use those features).

You shouldn't have to stop charging your phone to be able to use it in the car, especially when GPS sucks battery something fierce.

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#35

What if you are just a passenger in the car? How will they determine this?

Random brainstorm: Disable every phone in motion, the only way to enable it is to pair with the car. If everyone has to register with a single database and car manufactures have control over it then the car can detect if the person paired with Bluetooth is allowed to be on their phone or not. This wouldn't work if driver wanted the passenger to use their phone. Just thinking out loud, seeing as this is a idea I don't…

Then I can't use phone on the bus or the train...

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#36
post #23

I hope they do this. I would love to laugh while the carriers never sell another phone and everybody else installs Cyanogen. Toyota had to remove a system diagnostic feature that would disable the "can't adjust nav system while driving" misfeature. I can just imagine the fuss if you forced someone under 35 to actually not be able to use their phone for 60 seconds.

I wish Toyota would release an update for older vehicles. Our Prius V won't let you adjust the navigation destination or even reconnect bluetooth devices while in gear (even with a passenger!). This means that if the bluetooth connection dies, it won't reconnect until you pull over. Huge pain in the butt.

Everything this article suggests sounds like a disaster. I'm sure they'll implement it with low range NFC around the driver, but it will still cause massive headaches for other occupants and won't even accomplish what it is meant to (i.e. people willing to break the law now will simply bypass it, and everyone else will be inconvenienced).

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#39
post #8

What if you are just a passenger in the car? How will they determine this?

A good question. From the article, one of the things the guidelines call for is that manufacturers "develop technology to identify when the devices are being used by a driver while driving. That would ensure the limits are placed on drivers and not other vehicle occupants." I bet that if the handset manufacturers were to work with the car manufacturers, they could pretty easily locate the phone to a foot or so with m…

Perhaps they could also call for the manufacturers to "develop technology" to give every driver a pony, while they're at it. It's kind of infuriating to hear from someone who thinks you can just say "develop technology" and then anything will happen.

Re: Auto Safety Regulators Seek a Driver Mode to Block Apps

#40
post #17
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A good question. From the article, one of the things the guidelines call for is that manufacturers "develop technology to identify when the devices are being used by a driver while driving. That would ensure the limits are placed on drivers and not other vehicle occupants." I bet that if the handset manufacturers were to work with the car manufacturers, they could pretty easily locate the phone to a foot or so with m…

This is actually very possible you'd be surprised. Find a keyless car system that also lets you start it such as in the Mitsubishi Evo X and test the range around doors and within the driver seat etc that it lets you start the car. Surprisingly accurate. Key just outside the drivers door won't start and the boot won't open if it's basically where the tail light is etc. and that's 10 year old tech.

What about the passenger seat though? My EE/physics is rusty, but inside vs outside of a giant metal cage might be easier than slightly to the right but still inside.
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