Despite the warnings, statistics, and grim realities such as fatalities, accidents, and injuries caused by texting and driving or really any interaction with a cellphone while driving, drivers still text and drive, respond to messages, and check notifications.
So, Apple is trying to stop drivers’ cellphone-obsessed behavior and save them from dangerous and stupid choices by introducing a new system, which is part of the iOS 11 operating system, that will disable notifications through the “Do Not Disturb” mode.
According to Apple, the “iPhone can detect when you may be driving and automatically silence notifications to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to contacts listed in Favorites to let them know they are driving and cannot respond until they arrive at their destination.”
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The do not disturb feature cannot stop all connectivity, though.
“If the phone owner ‘forgets’ to turn it on, the phone can guess when it’s in a moving vehicle anyway, thanks to its motion sensors, GPS and WiFi systems. Trying to ‘unlock’ the phone will be purposely difficult to do while driving, but easy if you’re an innocent passenger,” reports CarThrottle.com writer Matt Kimberley, “The system won’t stop you pre-connecting the phone via Bluetooth or USB, allowing you to access some of the device’s functions legally through the car.”
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2015, distracted driving caused 3,477 fatalities and injuries to 391,000 people, and an estimated 660,000 drivers use electronic devices during the day while behind the wheel. Forty-nine percent of adult drivers confess to texting and driving, reports HuffingtonPost.com writer Erin Schumaker.
News Source: Apple, Car Throttle, NHTSA, Huffington Post
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