Wireless Invention Jams Teen Drivers' Cell Calls 232
alphadogg writes "University of Utah researchers have invented technology that could come to be embraced by teenagers with the same enthusiasm they have for curfews and ID checks. And like those things, it could save their lives. Key2SafeDriving technology uses RFID or Bluetooth wireless capabilities to issue signals from car keys to cell phones to prevent drivers from talking on their phones or texting while driving. A company called Accendo LC of Kaysville, Utah has licensed the technology and is working to build it into commercial devices that could be on the market next year. The company is sorting out how to bring the technology to market, but one possibility is that it would be made available through cell phone service companies and could also be tied in with insurance companies, which might offer discounts for users."
Re:um.. (Score:4, Informative)
It seems to me that it would be tied to a single phone. It would be illegal to blanket jam, if I'm recalling FCC regulations correctly. A jamming signal might impair the communications of a passing vehicle.
Title is misleading (Score:2, Informative)
The invention does not jam the cell it activates software. This is entirely different as a signal that jams the cell would cause the cell battery to run down early and will also disrupt nearby driver's conversations and signals. Not to mention jamming would be illegal.
Re:Sure.... (Score:5, Informative)
The car sends a signal to software on the phone that disables texting and calling any non-approved numbers. 911 is enabled by default and the parents can set further phone numbers which can be called.
Re:So... stuck in car pileup = no cell phone 911? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Great Idea!! (Score:3, Informative)
RTFA, 911 would be enabled.
Powered on how? (Score:5, Informative)
So the key sheath what sends the signal... meaning that it's going to be extra expensive to lose/break/etc?
It seems to depend on a lot of factors that aren't going to go over very well:
a) You need the key
b) You need a supported phone
c) You need your phone tied to the key
d) The auto-response feature won't work against landlines or phones that don't support texting (in the ad it shows a text message).
Overall, it generally looks really fucking irritating. I avoid the phone when possible if I'm in the car, but there can be reasons to make a call when stopped etc (running late) or to receive calls in an emergency.
The question of "what if it's a business call" and the answer of "it'll text the caller that you're driving" isn't going to go over very well, nor it is going to when your mother calls 5-min in to say "your dad is in the hospital" while you're headed out to a 4h drive...
Re:911, but not Mom? (Score:4, Informative)
You can do the math - teens are stupendously bad drivers [ca.gov] compared to much of the rest of the population. Fortunately due to the financial component - it's not hard to collect a lot of information on accidents.
Re:Great Idea!! (Score:2, Informative)
Re:useless & easy to circumvent (Score:4, Informative)
Scenario 1: Driver is conscientious, doesn't use phone while driving anyway. - Key not needed, save the money.
Scenario 2: Driver is tech savvy, turns off bluetooth on phone while driving. - Driver can't use headset, driver can and will still make calls. Key not needed, save the money.
Scenario 3: Driver is smarter than a rock. - Driver copies key, uses bluetooth headset and makes calls anyway. Key not needed, save the money.
Scenario 4: Driver has friends. - Driver borrows phone, can't use bluetooth headset, makes calls anyway. Key not needed, save the money.
Scenario 5: Driver is psychopath. - Driver goes on a rampage because of parental failures, kills people randomly until driver is killed. Key not needed, save the money.
In summary, save the money.
Re:Great Idea!! (Score:3, Informative)
911 service is not available in all areas.
911 is also not the first call I'd necessarily make in all emergencies.
Also note: there's no comment about hacking this to prevent a teenage girl from making a call on her cell phone while an assailant is approaching her. If he simply carries a hacked set of keys with him, she's cut off.
Complete and utter bullshit! (Score:3, Informative)
They can learn! Everybody can learn!
People are "stupid", because they
You can solve all of them trough
The only thing that's still hard to cure are genetic errors. But I trust the method of "infecting" people with modified virii that inject good DNA into cells. Think of a epidemic of something like this. You could cure the world by releasing such a virus into the wild. Just be very, very sure that it has no side-effects. ;)
So if you see someone who is really stupid, and you want to help him, find the *causes* of his stupidity, and fix them. But who am I telling this, when even most doctors don't care for causes anymore... :\